Terror but theres no question of giving up. Three years ago large areas of iraq or taken over by Islamic State extremists including three key cities mosul to crete and ramadi after extensive fighting the iraqi army and Coalition Forces managed to drive the islamists out in december last year iraq declared the i. R. S. Occupied parts of the country officially free. Around seventy thousand homes were destroyed during the occupation and subsequent fighting two point five million displaced people are still in camps and other temporary housing at a global Donor Conference in february participating states agreed to pledge thirty billion dollars towards rebuilding iraq but experts warn thats just a third of whats really needed. Meanwhile life is starting to return to the demolished cities slowly but surely. When ali rides his bike through western wall its a trip through a dark and painful past the wasteland reminds the thirty six year old of the worst trauma he has ever experienced living und
of muslims of iraqis. photos from their dark era ali took them secretly and in doing so he risked his life the university abandoned most apartments reclosed also lost his job as a lecturer his father who had always shaved was forced by a as to grow a beard. the book for him cafe it s a place that breathes freedom a year ago the building was still burnt down and now school children students and artists meet here to do all the things that have been forbidden for years to read to play music to smoke to have fun a few of ali s pictures also graced the walls he s a regular customer and a friend of the owner farhad saba invested all his savings into the cafe during the i asked period he read countless books in secret since then he s convinced that