Islamic State: Diary of life in Mosul

BBC is allowing us to read voices from inside Mosul. A city  in Northern Iraq controlled by ISIL forces since June 2014. We are able to follow the progress, and life of ordinary people. Small insight to what is happening. From first hand sources.

This is happening in the 21th century. To people like you and me. We are all, people like you and me. There is no difference. Less than 4000 km from here. And me and my neighbours do have fresh water - heating - and without a doubt electricty - without a doubt. My neighbours kids can go to school having no change in syllabus - no change in who will be there teacher tomorrow - and no class in how the behave during air strikes or how to be a good follower of the occupiying regim terrorizing the daily life of those left in the city - their city - their much beloved city. 

Link to BBC source quoted below:

21 November 2014

"Once upon a time in our land, which is rich with water and oil, we used to have a big supply of water and electricity. However, now in the time of the IS caliphate, we lead the most difficult life imaginable.

We don't have water because the supply station does not work most of the time due to a power shortage.

We collect rainwater in the garden, and my mum tries to save the rain falling on the roof through the gutter in order to use it for the laundry and cleaning."

Faisal 

 14 November 2014

"School syllabuses have been changes by IS. There are no physical education classes anymore. Instead there is "jihadi education", which is a subject in which students are taught to love jihad [an Islamic concept meaning "struggle"] and how to do so.

IS cancelled both geography and history lessons, but then they changed their mind. They cancelled art classes, and instead teach Arabic calligraphy. They completely banned the use of colours and coloured pens in schools."

Mays 

5 November 2014 

"[Editor's note: Before Islamic State overran Mosul, the city was home to one of the oldest Christian communities in the world. Most fled with the arrival of IS, who ordered the city's remaining Christians to convert to Islam, pay a religious tax, or face being killed.] 

Not one house owned by a Christian in Mosul was not taken over and looted by IS members, and all their belongings stolen, down to the last broomstick.Some IS fighters have even moved into the Christians' homes themselves, using everything in those houses as if they were their own. 

They've inhabited all the areas and consider them as spoils of war, as if the Christians and the Yazidis [minority religious group] were the enemy, and by doing so, the IS has become a burden on our areas. 

We feel ashamed to call our Christian and Yazidi friends, and I feel I cannot even phone them any more, as if it was me or one of my family or friends that committed those heinous crimes against them. 

I decided not to talk or salute any IS member who occupies a Christian house near me, and I cannot bear to look at their evil faces. 

I've taken notice of their behaviour during coalition air strikes. They immediately switch off the lights in the homes they occupy, and some drive off in their stolen cars in some unknown direction. 

Then they return as soon as the air strikes cease. A friend of mine had the nerve to ask one of them: "Why do you run away during the air strikes?" 

The IS member answered that they fear the strikes will target the houses of Christians that they've occupied because the Christians would have told the coalition their location.

Another friend of mine tried to get close to a house occupied by an IS member and his family to see what was happening there, but he was unable to as they never leave the door open, and don't even talk in the garden. 

My friends and I vowed that once this is over, and our city is cleared of the dirt and nastiness, that we would rehabilitate a Christian house to show the world, or at least our Christian friends, that those who did this to them abide by no religion at all."

From Nizar

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