Kids Go Back to School in Mosul

More than 16,000 children went back to school in east Mosul, after fighting between a US-backed coalition and Islamic State, which controlled the city since 2014 ended. West Mosul is still under Islamic State control. Some schools in the area were Some schools in the area were closed for up to two years, and girls were largely banned from getting an education. “Just a few weeks ago, these neighborhoods were gripped by violence. Today, girls and boys are heading back to class,” said Peter Hawkins, UNICEF Representative in Iraq. ”After the nightmare of the past two years, this is a pivotal moment for the children of Mosul to reclaim their education and their hope for a better future.” An additional 40 schools are expected to open in the coming weeks after being checked for unexplored ordinance by local authorities to accommodate a total of 40,000 students.