On 10 July, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi declared victory in Mosul, bringing about the end of a military operation that began last October.
The fighting is over, but massive humanitarian needs remain – both for those inside the city, and the more than 800,000 people still displaced warns the International Committee of the Red Cross.
For those trying to return home, the challenges are manifold: neighbourhoods were scarred by heavy fighting; and thousands of homes, hundreds of roads and bridges, as well as water stations, electricity plants, hospitals, and schools have been left completely destroyed.
Access to clean water also remains a major concern. We have rehabilitated eight boosting stations in the eastern part of Mosul that are providing clean water to around 600,000 people. There are also five projects ongoing in West Mosul.
Our mobile surgical team is also operating in Mosul General Hospital where they have received over 650 cases since their deployment. Our medical teams are now seeing an increase in the number of people injured by unexploded ordnance and other explosive remnants of war.
"All the traumas we see, more than 90 per cent, are directly war-wounded traumas - gunshots and shell injuries, which means from blasts," said Doctor Julia Schurch who was operating from the hospital which stood roughly a kilometre from the former frontline.
"Here it is really a very high number of war-wounded cases, from very small superficial lesions from flying elements to deadly injuries."
"Many of the wounded are young," tweeted ICRC Director of Middle East, Robert Mardini. "They will carry their scars for life."
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