“Because No One Would Buy My Photos, Here They Are For Free. Mosul 2017”
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As the Battle of Mosul rages on, so does the race between photographers trying to sell snapshots of the conflict to media outlets. Kainoa Little couldn’t find a buyer for his photos, but he decided to share them online anyway – and they tell a harrowing story of struggle and survival.
The Shoreline, Washington-based photographer specializes in war zones, and was in Mosul in April 2017 to document Iraqi Federal Police efforts to liberate the city from ISIL militants. Heavy clashes were underway in the Old City, and causing civilians to flee in mass numbers. Little’s photos capture a vivid range of emotions; the anguish of the refugees leaving their homes, the determination of the soldiers protecting them, and the sheer chaos plaguing all of those involved, to name just a few.
Though Mosul is not yet completely free, the Iraqi forces have made significant headway in reclaiming the ancient city from ISIL. We can only hope that an end to this brutal fight is near, and that Kainoa Little has better luck on the press photography market next time around. Check out his compelling photos below.
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Federal Police fire at Islamic State positions at the end of the street in the Old City
Image credits: Kainoa Little
Federal Police fire on Islamic State positions in west Mosul
Image credits: Kainoa Little
A Federal Policeman in a ruined cinema
Image credits: Kainoa Little
Federal Police prepare for battle in the Old City. This machine gunner is organizing his ammo
Image credits: Kainoa 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
Image credits: Kainoa Little
An Islamic State bullet punches through the wall near a Federal Policeman
Image credits: Kainoa Little
Federal Police enter a theater in the Old City. Seconds later, an Islamic State gunman opened fire from the upper rafters
Image credits: Kainoa Little
Federal Police in the theater
Image credits: Kainoa Little
A soldier clears a building in Mosul’s Old City
Image credits: Kainoa 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
Image credits: Kainoa Little
A Federal Policeman runs across exposed ground on the roof of the theater
Image credits: Kainoa Little
Federal Police exchange fire with ISIS across the theater
Image credits: Kainoa Little
Federal Police in the theater in the Old City
Image credits: Kainoa Little
A cook prepares large amounts of rice for the soldiers
Image credits: Kainoa Little
Federal Police commanders
Image credits: Kainoa Little
Federal Police shave and rest in a civilian home on the front line in west Mosul
Image credits: Kainoa Little
Civilians flee from fighting in west Mosul
Image credits: Kainoa Little
Refugees from west Mosul wait near the Tigris River crossing
Image credits: Kainoa Little
Refugees from west Mosul wait near the Tigris River crossing
Image credits: Kainoa Little
A humvee passes civilians fleeing battles in Musharrifah
Image credits: Kainoa Little
Iraqi Army piloting a drone
Image credits: Kainoa Little
Civilians fleeing battles in Musharrifah
Image credits: Kainoa Little
Refugees escaping fighting
Image credits: Kainoa Little
Civilians fleeing battles in Musharrifah
Image credits: Kainoa Little
A woman learns from American and Burmese medics that her son will survive a bullet wound in the leg
Image credits: Kainoa Little
A helicopter gunship fires at Islamic State positions
Image credits: Kainoa Little
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This is important stuff. Please upvote this article to show the world and media we care. It needs to be clear these images are worth a lot, cause we need these photographers to work there and get a living out of it. So the world will not forget the struggles from the people in Irak.
Your comment is touching. I am glad there are people (like you) who care about what's happening there.
Part 3: We need to fund true Journalism to make sure we all get to see our shared humanity. Thats the only thing that will make us care for our fellow humans abroad. And thats important, cause we here have the power to stop the war. Only the powerfull can deside to stop te war (on terror) and we can make our leaders stop. But we need to care enough to go out and demand it. No more bombs on computer generated targets and their families, no more interfering with democracy's, no more military interventions and regime change for the benifit of our company's and no more supporting terrorist and oppressive regimes. If we leave the middle east there humanity we will also be able to keep ours.
part 2: we like to tell ourselves Islam is the problem. but almost 70 years ago we already knew our greedy governments were the problem, they still are. I'm not saying the killing of Westerners is justified, don't get me wrong. But the systemic neglect for arabic lives by our leaders is the fuel for this rage, not the Islam. This is the time for Journalism to step up to the plate. Leaders and papers are trying to tell us they (muslims, terrorist) are evil because they are different, believe weird stuff that makes them hate, that makes them dumb. Thats BS. We need the journalist to tell us the truth. We need them to explane to us where this hatred came from, so we can understand. See the humanity behind the rage, so we start to care again. About their lives, their kids, their trauma's. When I see the kids at the youth centre from Iraq, their humanity is apparent to me. Its easy to feel for them, they didn't deserve the cards they where dealt. but its not enough for just me to know this.
Some kids at the youthcentre I work for are from mosul. They were forced to pick a side to fight, but lucky there dad got them to europe. Its heavy stuff these guys went through, and now they are here people hate on them for being muslim. its the dumbest thing and it doesn't help. We need people to be informed about Iraq. Everybody needs to see and know the humanity of the people involved. And we need a media who is honest about the involment of our governments in the violence and warcrimes commited. Last week I read in a book by Noam Chomski a report by the CIA. It was about the rise of hatred for America and the West in the arabic world in the 50's. They concluded that the people where angry because there natural weath (oil) was stolen and the governments where corrupted by the west. They didn't have an anser to counter this anti-western uprising in the culture because, the inverstigation stated, there claims were true. Now almost 70 years later and decades of intrusion.
Iraq
No one wins in a war
yes dear,someone wins ,,, the big companies which sell army ,medications...
Nope they didn't win anything. They are just getting rich before they rot :/
yes, better to do nothing, it'll work itself out
The contrast between the new uniforms and everything else in the photos is quite striking.
its a war on terror , , terror should lose
"Miracello" what bot sides ? you call isis " side" are you even human !!
key word being 'should'
The only thing that isn't getting fought is terror it seems as civilians are the ones who always suffer for no reason whatsoever . And all started by USA with their desire for their kind of 'freedom'. I blame Bush for all of this. So much blood on usa's hands in this world- it's depressing and so sad...
So: Nobody won the Second World War? Not the German people who learned not to elect a man like Hitler ever again? Not the American people who learned to build, and use, the Arsenal of Liberty? Not the Japanese, who were freed of the last vestiges of a Feudal society? Not the French, Dutch, Danish, Belgian, or Italian people, who threw Fascism and Naziism out of their countries? Not Americans, in their War of Independence? Freedom and Liberty are bought with blood, not stocks, bonds, gold, or cash.
The survivors who have freedom do… and the rich
Just because they survive, doesn't mean they're free. They're left with ruins if they stay, and too often met with fear and hatred when they leave for better horizons.
Supporting all of the previous comments. These are spectacular images of a very troubled place that deserves so much better.
This is important stuff. Please upvote this article to show the world and media we care. It needs to be clear these images are worth a lot, cause we need these photographers to work there and get a living out of it. So the world will not forget the struggles from the people in Irak.
Your comment is touching. I am glad there are people (like you) who care about what's happening there.
Part 3: We need to fund true Journalism to make sure we all get to see our shared humanity. Thats the only thing that will make us care for our fellow humans abroad. And thats important, cause we here have the power to stop the war. Only the powerfull can deside to stop te war (on terror) and we can make our leaders stop. But we need to care enough to go out and demand it. No more bombs on computer generated targets and their families, no more interfering with democracy's, no more military interventions and regime change for the benifit of our company's and no more supporting terrorist and oppressive regimes. If we leave the middle east there humanity we will also be able to keep ours.
part 2: we like to tell ourselves Islam is the problem. but almost 70 years ago we already knew our greedy governments were the problem, they still are. I'm not saying the killing of Westerners is justified, don't get me wrong. But the systemic neglect for arabic lives by our leaders is the fuel for this rage, not the Islam. This is the time for Journalism to step up to the plate. Leaders and papers are trying to tell us they (muslims, terrorist) are evil because they are different, believe weird stuff that makes them hate, that makes them dumb. Thats BS. We need the journalist to tell us the truth. We need them to explane to us where this hatred came from, so we can understand. See the humanity behind the rage, so we start to care again. About their lives, their kids, their trauma's. When I see the kids at the youth centre from Iraq, their humanity is apparent to me. Its easy to feel for them, they didn't deserve the cards they where dealt. but its not enough for just me to know this.
Some kids at the youthcentre I work for are from mosul. They were forced to pick a side to fight, but lucky there dad got them to europe. Its heavy stuff these guys went through, and now they are here people hate on them for being muslim. its the dumbest thing and it doesn't help. We need people to be informed about Iraq. Everybody needs to see and know the humanity of the people involved. And we need a media who is honest about the involment of our governments in the violence and warcrimes commited. Last week I read in a book by Noam Chomski a report by the CIA. It was about the rise of hatred for America and the West in the arabic world in the 50's. They concluded that the people where angry because there natural weath (oil) was stolen and the governments where corrupted by the west. They didn't have an anser to counter this anti-western uprising in the culture because, the inverstigation stated, there claims were true. Now almost 70 years later and decades of intrusion.
Iraq
No one wins in a war
yes dear,someone wins ,,, the big companies which sell army ,medications...
Nope they didn't win anything. They are just getting rich before they rot :/
yes, better to do nothing, it'll work itself out
The contrast between the new uniforms and everything else in the photos is quite striking.
its a war on terror , , terror should lose
"Miracello" what bot sides ? you call isis " side" are you even human !!
key word being 'should'
The only thing that isn't getting fought is terror it seems as civilians are the ones who always suffer for no reason whatsoever . And all started by USA with their desire for their kind of 'freedom'. I blame Bush for all of this. So much blood on usa's hands in this world- it's depressing and so sad...
So: Nobody won the Second World War? Not the German people who learned not to elect a man like Hitler ever again? Not the American people who learned to build, and use, the Arsenal of Liberty? Not the Japanese, who were freed of the last vestiges of a Feudal society? Not the French, Dutch, Danish, Belgian, or Italian people, who threw Fascism and Naziism out of their countries? Not Americans, in their War of Independence? Freedom and Liberty are bought with blood, not stocks, bonds, gold, or cash.
The survivors who have freedom do… and the rich
Just because they survive, doesn't mean they're free. They're left with ruins if they stay, and too often met with fear and hatred when they leave for better horizons.
Supporting all of the previous comments. These are spectacular images of a very troubled place that deserves so much better.