The clang of construction rings loud throughout Mosul, where homes, cafes and historic monuments are still emerging from the rubble. Eight years after Iraqi security forces, including Kurdish Peshmerga forces, declared victory over ISIS, Iraq’s second-largest city is still forging a new identity as battle-scarred buildings give way to fresh facades, leaving the bitter years of occupation behind.
Olivia Cuthbert
Olivia is a freelance journalist and has been covering the Middle East for 15 years with a focus on women’s rights, international development, culture and education in the Arab world. Her work has been published in outlets including The Guardian, The Sunday Times, The Telegraph, New Statesman, Middle East Eye, openDemocracy and Wired magazine. She has a bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Oxford and speaks a little Arabic, but it’s a work in progress.