The city of Mosul has had a complex and contested history in modern times and no more so than in the recent decade. This talk will describe the rich and diverse social, political and religious makeup of Mosul’s society before its fall to the Islamic State in 2014 and then the multiple ruptures this group caused in its fabric. The period of rule under ISIS, which will be described and analyzed, wreaked untold devastation, culminating in the successful battle in 2017 to recapture the city. This presentation will also describe the fate of the city and its people since the defeat of ISIS and the return of central government rule from the capital Baghdad.

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https://princeton.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_vdxRTzJISSCrM35W-b_yow

Rasha Al Aqeedi is a Senior Analyst and the Head of the Non-State Actors program in the Human Security Unit and Newlines Institute for Strategy and Policy. Prior to joining the Newlines Institute, Rasha was the Editor in Charge of Irfaa Sawtak, a U.S.-based platform that offers insights into post-conflict communities in Iraq and Syria through personal digital storytelling, essays, and photo collections.  Rasha has served as a fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and The George Washington University’s Program on Extremism. Before relocating to the United States, Rasha was on the editorial board at Al Mesbar Research and Studies Center in Dubai where she was a researcher and consultant. Her commentary focuses on armed groups, radicalization, Middle Eastern geopolitics, extremist ideology, and contemporary Iraqi politics. She is a native of Mosul, Iraq.