The Iraqi Army declared victory in Mosul on July 9, 2017. This ended
the nine month effort to liberate the city from ISIS control. In the end,
the city was nearly destroyed and resulted in a massive humanitarian
crisis that the people of Iraq will undoubtedly spend years recovering
from. Despite overwhelming numbers the Iraqi Army suffered dearly,
losing nearly 2,000 men. Exact figures will never be known. The exact
number of ISIS dead is in dispute. Most agree the number hovered
over 10,000. In addition the exact number of civilian casualties may
never be known. The symbolic victory in Mosul occured in June of
2017 when Iraqi forces captured the site of the Grand Mosque of al-
Nuri where three years earlier, ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had
declared the creation of the Caliphate known as the Islamic State.
Awards Gabriel Romero is a freelance photojournalist based in Los Angeles, CA. He specializes in local and international news in the areas of conflict, environmental, and humanitarian coverage. Gabriel is alumni of the 2011 Eddie Adams Workshop - Barnstorm XXIV, was honored with a gallery exhibit at FotoWeek DC and is a 2012 Alexia Foundation Scholar. His work can also be seen in the upcoming Communication Arts Photography Annual 53. Most recently, his work has focused on Middle Eastern and Latin American issues.
