In Qayyarah, smoke from burning oil wells billows over the town, while fumes from a burning sulfur plant poison the air. Islamic State militants fleeing Kurdish peshmerga and Iraqi forces set them alight.
QAYYARAH, IRAQ
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Iraqi soldiers at a base outside of Mosul, preparing for what they hope will be their final battles with IS fighters in coming weeks or months. October 24, 2016. (H.Murdock/VOA)
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In regions recently cleared of IS fighters, homes lay in rubble, electric wires are cut, and burnt out vehicles scatter the landscape. October 24, 2016. (H.Murdock/VOA)
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Kurdish Peshmerga soldiers move from the front lines in the battle towards Mosul to Kirkuk, a northern Iraqi oil city, after an Islamic State attacked the city. October 21, 2016. (H.Murdock/VOA)
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In the town of Hassan Sham many homes still stand after Islamic State fighters were pushed out, but bombs and booby traps prevent people from going home. October 21, 2016. (H.Murdock/VOA)