Oil well infernos paint sky in black as battle for Mosul enters last mile

Iraq's special forces entered the outskirts of Mosul on Tuesday, the first time in over two years.

Black skies of Mosul captured through lens (PHOTOS)
Tribal fighters walk as fire and smoke rises from oil wells, set ablaze by Islamic State militants before IS militants fled the oil-producing region of Qayyara, Iraq. Reuters
Black skies of Mosul captured through lens (PHOTOS)
Smoke rises from oil wells, set ablaze by Islamic State militants before fleeing the oil-producing region of Qayyara. Reuters
Black skies of Mosul captured through lens (PHOTOS)
A man returns to his village after it was liberated from Islamic State militants, south of Mosul in Qayyara. Reuters
Black skies of Mosul captured through lens (PHOTOS)
Smoke rises from oil wells, set ablaze by Islamic State militants before fleeing the oil-producing region of Qayyara. Reuters
Black skies of Mosul captured through lens (PHOTOS)
Smoke rises from oil wells, set ablaze by Islamic State militants before fleeing the oil-producing region of Qayyara. Reuters
Black skies of Mosul captured through lens (PHOTOS)
Smoke rises from oil wells, set ablaze by Islamic State militants before fleeing the oil-producing region of Qayyara. Reuters
Black skies of Mosul captured through lens (PHOTOS)
An Iraqi soldier stands next to detained men accused of being Islamic State fighters, at a check point in Qayyara, south of Mosul. Reuters
Black skies of Mosul captured through lens (PHOTOS)
Civilians return to their village after it was liberated from Islamic State militants, south of Mosul. Reuters
Black skies of Mosul captured through lens (PHOTOS)
A newly displaced woman runs after she jumped over a back wall and rushed to grab humanitarian packages, as smoke rises from a burning oil refinery at a processing centre in Qayyara. Reuters
Black skies of Mosul captured through lens (PHOTOS)
Girls are reflected in oil as they walk near smoke rising from oil wells, set ablaze by Islamic State militants before IS militants fled the oil-producing region of Qayyara. Reuters
Black skies of Mosul captured through lens (PHOTOS)
rmed members of Shi'ite militia Hashid Shaabi ride a motorbike near Qayyara, south of Mosul. Smoke in the background is from burning oilfields set ablazed by Islamic State fighters. Reuters
Black skies of Mosul captured through lens (PHOTOS)
A newly displaced boy cries as an Iraqi soldier loads him onto a truck at check point in Qayyara, east of Mosul. Reuters
Black skies of Mosul captured through lens (PHOTOS)
Smoke rises from oil wells, set ablaze by Islamic State militants before fleeing the oil-producing region of Qayyara. Reuters

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