No One Purchased This Journalist’s Photos From Mosul, So He Shared Them For Free

The harrowing images from April 2017 depict Iraqi Federal Police attempting to free Mosul from ISIL militants.

Credit: Kaino Little

War correspondents are some of the last appreciated activists out there. Many put themselves in danger to capture images or comments from those affected by war with no guarantee their efforts will pay off. For photographer Kaino Little, this was, unfortunately, the case.

After visiting Mosul in April 2017 to document Iraqi Federal Police attempting to liberate the city from ISIL militants, Little returned to Shoreline, Washington, eager to sell his photographs. Because many other freelancers have taken the same risk, it’s been difficult finding outlets interested in the media.

Because the war efforts deserve to be shared, Little decided to share the images anyway. As Bored Panda reports, the photographs capture a vivid range emotions. From the determination of soldiers fighting to regain Mosul to the anguish clearly written across refugees’ faces, the collection tells a harrowing — albeit important — story.

Just days ago, Iraq reclaimed Mosul in a symbolic victory. While much more needs to be done to extinguish the terrorist threat, it’s a victory nonetheless. Let’s hope Little has more luck finding interested media outlets the next time around. Following are some of his compelling photos from Mosul:

Federal Police fire at Islamic State positions at the end of the street in the Old City

Credit: Kaino Little

Federal Police fire on Islamic State positions in west Mosul

Credit: Kaino Little

A Federal Policeman in a ruined cinema

Credit: Kaino Little

Federal Police prepare for battle in the Old City. This machine gunner is organizing his ammo

Credit: Kaino Little

Federal Police enter a theater suspected of containing an explosive device as they try to take control of the block in the Old City

Credit: Kaino Little

An Islamic State bullet punches through the wall near a Federal Policeman

Credit: Kaino Little

Federal Police enter a theater in the Old City. Seconds later, an Islamic State gunman opened fire from the upper rafters

Credit: Kaino Little

Federal Police in the theater

Credit: Kaino Little

A soldier clears a building in Mosul’s Old City

Credit: Kaino Little

A Federal Policeman takes fire from the other side of a theater. Several bullets impacted the other side of the wall near where he had been looking through a window

Credit: Kaino Little

A Federal Policeman runs across exposed ground on the roof of the theater

Credit: Kaino Little

Federal Police exchange fire with ISIS across the theater

Credit: Kaino Little

Federal Police in the theater in the Old City

Credit: Kaino Little

A cook prepares large amounts of rice for the soldiers

Credit: Kaino Little

Federal Police commanders

Credit: Kaino Little

Federal Police shave and rest in a civilian home on the front line in west Mosul

Credit: Kaino Little

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