Melendez, Destiny

Mr. Wisner

World History

4th Period

04-03-17

Engulfed in Battle, Mosul Civilians Run for Their Lives

Link To Article:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/28/world/middleeast/engulfed-in-battle-mosuls-civilians-run-for-their-lives.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=H
omepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=photo-spot-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

Key Vocabulary Words:

Salvos - a simultaneous discharge of artillery or other guns in a battle.

Cacophony - a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds.

Crossfire - gunfire from two or more directions passing through the same

area.
Acrid - having an irritatingly strong and unpleasant taste or smell.

Charred - partially burn (an object) so as to blacken its surface.

Summary of Event

A. When photojournalist, Ivor Prickett, spent three weeks in West Mosul,

documenting the battles that were taking place, he was able to witness some

of the humanitarian crises occurring there as well. Families, heading out

very early, trying to avoid the sounds of a battle. Nobody really knew if it

was safe, they fled through routes with crumbling buildings and dead

corpses, which many wouldnt notice, due to their distressed states.

 B. Destruction and the acrid smells of the explosives filled the area. It is

believed that around half a million civilians are trapped in an area of the

city, along with about 2,000 Islamic State Fighters, in which the civilians

have been used as human shields by the Islamic State Fighters. Attacks

from American airstrikes or from the Islamic States car bombs, are leaving

many to be injured, killed, and in pain after witnessing loved ones being

killed right in front of them, as well.

C. This ongoing battle is also leaving people without the aid that they need to

survive. Many of Mosuls residents are ordered by the government to avoid

leaving their homes for as long as they can, but after being trapped for so

long, they are bound to run out of food and water. There are times that aid

is distributed in Mosul, but it happens very rarely, and when it does, chaos

takes place, as people fight desperately over bags of food.

My Opinion on the Event

After reading the article, I could only imagine what it mustve felt like to be the

photographer at that time, to see so many people suffering and dying, and not

being able to do anything about it. And I cant even imagine what it must be like

for the people who are actually living in those circumstances. Just thinking about

it, can make one feel really grateful for the life they live. There are many terrible
 things about wars: theyre expensive, they can destroy homes, they can pollute the

air, but I feel like the worst thing about them, is the people who are affected by

them. With every airstrike that was dropped, with every car bomb that went off,

with every attack from either side, there has been damage. Which is why I can

understand why many of these civilians would run for their lives, because to

them, there are no good guys in these battles.

Relate Event to Historical Event

In a way, this can relate to during the time during any war that has ever happened,

World War II for instance. It is said around 50 to 55 million civilians were killed

because of this war. This goes to show how much of an impact a war can have on

people, during World War II, many of the primary civilians who were affected the

most were Jewish, a part of the LGBT+ Community, mentally disabled, etc. while

in this case, many of Mosuls civilians are the ones being affected by this war. One

difference between these two, is that not as many people have been killed in

Mosul, as people during World War II. However, the numbers are still adding up.

Relate to Subtheme

This article can fall under both the Religion and Belief Systems subtheme. These

attacks in Mosul are either coming from first world countries, like American airstrikes, or

from the Islamic State car bombs. Two different sides, two different cultures, with

different perspectives on how certain things should be enforced and done. They have
different ideologies, and because of these different belief systems, they are having violent

battles, among cities like Mosul which is severely affecting the civilians that live there.

This article would also fall under the Religions subtheme, because all of this is

taking place in a mostly Muslim populated city, therefore the Muslim civilians are the

main ones being affected by all of this. Not only are they losing their homes, but theyre

losing loved ones as well.

Questions

Is there any way that civilians living in these harsh situations, could receive

aid more frequently?

What can be done to put an end to this war?

Is there a way for this war to go on without using the civilians as human

shields?

Around how many attacks are there per day, in Mosul?

What impact could all the acidic fumes, that people are breathing in and out

on a daily basis, have on peoples health?