The Day After ISIL has finally arrived in Mosul. Iraqs second city has endured unimaginable horrors under ISILs reign of terror, and during the nine-month campaign to end it. With more than 60 countries coming together to defeat ISIL, its military demise in Iraq was never really in doubt. However, the question was how it would come about and what happens afterwards. The answer to the how part of the question has been witnessed in Mosul, with a “scorched earth” policy that destroyed everything from the beloved leaning minaret of the Al Nuri mosque, to Mosul’s libraries and hospitals. As for what happens next, that in large part depends on the Iraqi government, the various political and military groupings in the country and Iraqs allies.
The most immediate concern is the humanitarian crisis, with over half of Mosuls population displaced, hospitals under strain dealing with those with injuries or suffering ailments spanning from malnutrition to war wounds. Dealing with this humanitarian crisis is not only a moral imperative, it is a strategic one, as it will determine how Iraqis can live with one another, and work their way out of the crisis mode that has gripped the country for years.
The people of Mosul, or Maslawis, need to be given a stake in their future and in the future of all of Iraq. After being abandoned in June 2014, Maslawis have felt that the government failed in their duty to protect them as citizens. The army was not given the order to fight and defend the city, leading to ISILs horrific control of the city and its destruction. However, some trust has been restored in the current prime minister Haider Al Abadi, who has been personally invested in liberating Iraqi territories seized by ISIL..
It is important to remember that Mosul was in dire straits even before ISIL officially took it over, with militant groups terrorising citizens and organised criminal gangs stifling the city. The attention of both Iraq’s government and the international community must be concentrated on dealing with the circumstances that allowed ISIL to find a foothold in Mosul in the first place, otherwise militants will likely re-group. Security, economy and governance vacuums were key ingredients that cannot be allowed to take hold of the post-ISIL moment..