Mosul's historic Sarjkhana Street, once a vibrant commercial hub, was devastated by war. Business owners, many with generational ties, are beginning to rebuild from ruin but face numerous challenges due to the destruction caused by ISIS. Mohammad Mawafaq, a shop owner, expresses his determination to restore his women's clothing store and his deep love for the neighborhood. The United Nations reports extensive damage to homes in the Old City, with significant civilian casualties, indicating the community's struggle extends beyond physical rebuilding to emotional healing.
The street was a legacy of Mosul's status as a thriving commercial hub dating back to medieval times, but the war that freed Mosul left entire neighborhoods flattened.
Owner Mohammad Mawafaq named the shop after his daughter Reemas and says he is spending $1,500 to rebuild it. 'Even if no one else came back,' he says, 'I would come back.'
The United Nations estimates 8,000 homes in the Old City were either damaged or destroyed, highlighting the scale of loss that this community has endured.
However, the much deeper loss is of people; as Mosul was liberated, almost everyone in the Old City lost a relative, many lost multiple family members.
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