A window into heaven... and hell: As another battered Iraqi town is liberated from the evil clutch of ISIS, Christians celebrate their first mass in two years while the Battle for Mosul enters its third week
Christians living in the town of Qaraqosh, northern Iraq, made their way to their local church despite the chaos continuing around them as the Battle for Mosul enters its third week (top). The bell tower at the Grand Immaculate Church was damaged, statues were decapitated and missals strewn across the nave floor. It comes as Iraqi forces said on Sunday that they had recaptured a series of villages surrounding jihadist-held Mosul as the operation to retake the city from Daesh neared its third week. Meanwhile, huge plumes of thick black smoke could be seen from inside damaged buildings with smashed windows after ISIS tried to prevent Iraqi forces from retaking cities and towns (bottom left). And an Iraqi Christian soldier was seen guarding the church of Saint Barbara after it was recaptured from Islamic State in Qaraqosh, near Mosul (bottom right). Mail.
