Beyond the Ruins: New Book Chronicles the "Secret War of Scholars" Against ISIS

A report published by The National highlights a newly released book titled "Mosul Eye: The Scholars' Secret War Against ISIS," which documents the extraordinary journey of Iraqi historian Omar Mohammed and his pivotal role in recording daily life under ISIS occupation while helping save hundreds of civilian lives.

Operating under the famous pseudonym "Mosul Eye," Mohammed initially used social media to chronicle the atrocities inside the city. After escaping to Paris in 2016, he continued monitoring developments via satellite imagery and direct contact with trapped residents. Overcoming initial hesitations, he began sharing precise geographic coordinates with US Central Command and Iraqi security forces to guide rescue operations through Mosul's narrow alleyways. Among those saved was his close friend, an archaeologist codenamed "Nadeem," who was evacuated with his family without realizing Mohammed had arranged the operation.

The book includes a letter written by Pope Francis, as well as a foreword by General David Petraeus, the former commander of US forces in Iraq.

Reflecting on the city's future, Mohammed expresses concern that physical reconstruction alone will not heal Mosul's deeply fractured social fabric, eroded by decades of sectarianism and the heavy destruction of the 2016–2017 liberation campaign. Drawing a historical parallel between the recent war and the fall of the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh in 612 BC, he observes that a entirely new Mosul is now taking shape—defined by new demographics, different community dynamics, and an evolving sense of identity.