This is the record Mosul deserves, and I am proud to add my name to it.
General Abdul-Wahab Al-SaadiHead of the Counter-Terrorism Service, Iraqi Special Operations Forces (CTS-ISOF)
I wanted the city to have an eye
that saw what was being done to it.
Omar Mohammed
Mosul Eye
A Scholar’s Clandestine War Against ISIS
Foreword by His Holiness
Pope Francis
Introduction by
General David H. Petraeus
Former Director of the CIA
Pre-Order Now
Pope Francis
Introduction by
General David H. Petraeus
Former Director of the CIA
The Book
Trust no one.
Document everything.
When ISIS overran Mosul in June 2014, a young historian expected to spend his life in archives, not hiding from a death sentence. His ambition had been quiet: to write history, teach students, and preserve his city’s past. But within days, Mosul was sealed off from the world—its streets patrolled, its memory suffocating under propaganda—and he found himself forced into a role he had never imagined.
I fought to liberate Mosul. Omar Mohammed fought to keep it from being erased. We were on the same line.
Gen. Abdul-Wahab Al-Saadi · CTS-ISOF, Iraq
From the Book
I put music on. I love Itzhak Perlman, and I would listen to him with the lights off and the curtain drawn, the tip of a forbidden cigarette glowing beside it.
My secrets were too heavy for one man to bear. Or even two men, as I had been for the past eighteen months.
From the beginning, I knew that the ultimate price for my work was death—but death is not the worst that can happen. The worst is to lose my voice.
The Foreword
His Holiness Pope Francis
I pray to God that Omar finds relief in his heart wounded by suffering. And that his testimony of love helps the resurrection, the resurrection of his people.
From the foreword to Mosul Eye
Among His Holiness’s last forewords.
Praise for Mosul Eye
Omar Mohammed has given Mosul a book that will outlast her captors, as our manuscripts have outlasted theirs.
Mar Najeeb Michaeel Moussa, O.P.Chaldean Archbishop of Mosul
Far more than a personal account — its contribution to the pursuit of justice was already apparent before liberation was complete.
The Hon. Judge Raed Al-MuslihPresident of the Nineveh Court of Appeal, Mosul · Supreme Judicial Council of Iraq
Omar Mohammed has been tested under fire. He is not only a scholar but also a hero.
Karim A. A. Khan KCProsecutor, International Criminal Court (ICC)
Founding UN Special Adviser & Head of UNITAD (2018–2021)
On the ground and under constant threat of death, Omar Mohammed was the lone voice providing the world with “evidence from hell on a problem from hell.”
Dr. David SchariaUN Security Council · Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED)
What Mosul Eye produced matched the quality of the finest intelligence reporting — yet it came from a single individual, operating alone. He is my hero.
General David H. PetraeusFormer Director of the CIA
A meticulous and unflinching work of witness — by a young historian who refused to let his city be destroyed in silence.
Hillary Rodham Clinton67th U.S. Secretary of State · U.S. Department of State
Through his blog, a sentinel in the night, he transmitted to the world fragments of truth torn from the darkness.
Audrey AzoulayFormer Director-General of UNESCO (2017–2025)
An extraordinary firsthand account of life under ISIS’s brutal occupation — the story of a man who refused to let his city’s suffering go unrecorded.
Emma Sky OBEDirector, Yale International Leadership Center · Author of The Unraveling
This book belongs alongside those chronicling the terrors of the last century. Omar did it in real time and at huge personal risk.
The Rt Hon Tom Tugendhat MBE, VR, MPFormer UK Security Minister · former Chair, Foreign Affairs Committee
There is physical courage. There is intellectual courage. And there is moral courage. All of these were in evidence in Mosul.
Lord Sir John Jenkins KCMG, LVOFormer British Ambassador to Saudi Arabia · Former Director-General for the Middle East, UK Foreign Office
He risked his life every day to tell the terrible truth of ISIS’s occupation of Mosul through Mosul Eye.
Martyn Warr OBEHead of the Counter-Daesh Communications Cell · UK FCDO · Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh
Omar is a treasure to Mosul, his city, and to Iraq, his country.
Charles J. Holt IIIU.S. Central Command
Omar Mohammed is the bravest and most admirable man I have met — and this is a book fully worthy of him. It is at once a thriller and a meditation; a warning and a reassurance; a story that is both as dark as the darkest night and radiant with the light of hope.
Tom HollandHistorian and broadcaster · Author of Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World
This book fills the gap in the story of one of the most dangerous and diabolical insurgencies in history.
Dr. Craig WhitesideCo-author of The ISIS Reader · US Naval War College
A lesson in history — because it shows that history is never forgotten.
Dr. Tova NorlénDefense Security Cooperation University (DSCU)
This book shows us the weight and incomparable value of documenting a place, a history, and a life through destruction, displacement, and rebuilding.
Sarina Simon RosenthalNew York University
This book is an act of witness.
Graeme WoodStaff writer · The Atlantic
Omar Mohammed’s chronicle reveals Iraqis’ moral defiance and extraordinary human bravery in the face of Islamic State’s terror.
Margaret CokerAuthor of Spymaster of Baghdad
More than a witness — a voice for the voiceless.
Delphine MinouiAlbert-Londres Prize laureate · Middle East correspondent · Le Figaro
His archive chronicles not only life during war, but the destruction of an ancient cosmopolitan city — buildings with people containing memories.
Kathrine TschemerinskyCulture editor · Weekendavisen
Mosul in the hands of ISIS was a black hole of history. Then we discovered Mosul Eye.
Riccardo ChartrouxJournalist · RAI TV
A Tale of a City and a Man — his network helped save scores of innocent lives.
Percy KempAuthor · Lebanese-French novelist of intelligence and the Middle East
His blog gave the people of Mosul something they thought they had lost — hope. It was an inspired gift.
James BluemelEmmy & BAFTA award-winning documentary filmmaker · Director of Once Upon a Time in Iraq
A personal record that can salvage a city when its very voice is being silenced.
Sultan Sooud Al QassemiEmirati writer and academic
He has never hesitated to highlight the crimes committed against Yezidis and the need for Iraqis to do better.
Pari IbrahimFounder & Executive Director · The Free Yezidi Foundation
Omar — the Ghost, Mosul Eye, the Dream — planted tree seeds that have grown shaded, housed, and fed many.
Ameen MokdadMusician · Mosul · The Musician in Mosul Eye
Paris · 2026
After ISIS declared what we study to be useless sciences, after the university was gutted, after everything that could be taken was taken — I got students again. They gave me back the thing that makes a teacher a teacher: the feeling that it matters. That the work is alive. That the “useless sciences” won.
Omar Mohammed
Voices from the author’s courses in Counter-Terrorism, International Relations, and Cultural Heritage Diplomacy at Sciences Po · Paris & Reims campuses · 2023–2026.
Featured Voice
Omar Mohammed taught the most real and eye-opening course I have ever taken. Learning from his experience and hearing a first-hand account of what it means to bear witness to atrocity provided me with an understanding of the danger in not only seeking truth, but speaking it out loud. This book is a complete erasure of that silence.
More voices from the classroom
To view injustice with hatred is one thing; to not only see the light at the end of the tunnel, but also spark the fire that illuminates the darkness is another. Professor Mohammed always strives to be that flame, and it is that openness and optimism that I will forever carry as the match to light the way amid uncertainty.
In Omar Mohammed’s classroom, there was a palpable energy, so strong that I never saw a single student sitting idle. One day, I saw our instructor glowing with a joy I had never witnessed before — he had prepared a simulation exercise, and in the courtyard we reenacted a session of UNESCO. The energy that once gave him the strength to endure his darkest memories carried over into his classroom and reached his students.
Thank you Mr. Mohammed for making sure that we left your classes with curiosity, empathy and knowing not to mix milk in our coffee.
My time in class with Dr. Mohammed was without a doubt the most memorable and interesting of my academic curriculum. The power of his lived experiences, his humor, his sensibility, and his deep intellectual curiosity — these made his teaching unforgettable.
Omar surpassed all of my expectations as my professor. From the first minute, our preconceptions on counterterrorism were attacked. Over the course of the class, he opened up an environment for us to kindly challenge our peers, which led to some of the most thought-provoking conversations I have ever experienced.
Omar has been one of the most memorable teachers I have had. His sincerity and audacity in making his students debate and discover the complexity and beauty of Middle Eastern cultures have deeply shaped my academic journey.
Without Omar Mohammed, I would have never even considered pursuing my current degree in International Security. His class in counter-terrorism and international relations was one of the most fascinating and eye-opening courses I took at university — it took just one session for me to discover exactly what I wanted to do with my life. His passion for teaching and his courage in sharing his story continue to inspire me every day. I hope Mosul Eye can be as life-changing as being Omar’s student was for me — a reminder of the power a single, brave person can hold in shining light and hope in the darkest moments.
Your teaching has had a profound impact on me. It has inspired my decision to pursue a Master’s degree in Security and Defense next year, and your course has truly been instrumental in shaping my academic and professional path.
Your emphasis on preserving and representing culture as closely connected to identity showed that it is not an objective historical representation, but is influenced by political and social interpretations over time — making it a powerful tool in diplomacy, and an expression of resilience in times of war.
Ce fut un véritable honneur d’apprendre auprès d’Omar. Sa passion pour l’enseignement surpasse toutes les épreuves et sa sagesse continue de me guider aujourd’hui.
I will never forget my counterterrorism class at Sciences Po — one of those rare courses that stays deeply with you as you try to make sense of the world.
This class was truly one of the best I have ever taken. You were a dedicated, challenging, yet caring teacher — and of course extremely knowledgeable. I am proud to have been one of your students.
“
To put Mosul on the global map.
The Author's Mission
A Memoir by Omar Mohammed
Mosul Eye
A Scholar’s Clandestine War Against ISIS
The story of one man’s double life to save the soul of a city.
Releases Skyhorse · Hardcover · 312 pp · ISBN 978‑1‑5107‑8567‑0
Foreword by His Holiness Pope Francis · Introduction by Gen. David H. Petraeus
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Press Coverage
In the Press
Where the story of Mosul Eye has been told
Newspapers of Record
Broadcasters
Wires & Elite Magazines
Regional & National
Policy & Research
Specialty & Opinion
International
Academic Publishers
The Record
Author Record
Engagements, lectures, conferences, affiliations, projects, recognitions, and writing.
Open the dossier
Engagements
Governments, parliaments & intelligence bodies that have engaged the author on ISIS & Mosul
United StatesU.S. Congress
United StatesU.S. Department of State
United StatesDepartment of Homeland Security
United StatesFederal Bureau of InvestigationUnited StatesU.S. Central CommandCENTCOM
United KingdomUK Home Office
United KingdomUK Police
FranceAssemblée nationale
FranceMinistry of Foreign AffairsQuai d'Orsay
FranceFrench National Police
FranceGendarmerie nationale
FranceFrench Armed ForcesMinistry of Armed Forces
European UnionEuropean Parliament
European UnionEU Counter-Terrorism CoordinatorEuropean Commission
EuropeJustice Ministers
EuropeEuropean Ministries
MultinationalGlobal Coalition Against Daesh85+ member states
MultinationalNATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization
MultinationalOSCEOrg. for Security & Co-operation in EuropeKeynotes & Lectures
Universities where the author has delivered keynote lectures & seminars
United StatesHarvard UniversityDept. of History of Art & Architecture · 2018
United StatesYale UniversityWorld Fellow · 2018
United StatesMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyAga Khan Program · 2018
United StatesNew York University
United StatesGeorgetown University
United StatesPenn State UniversitySchool of International Affairs · 2018
United StatesUniversity of ChicagoPozen Center for Human Rights
United KingdomKing's College LondonCentre for Divided Societies · 2021
United KingdomUniversity College London
FranceCollège de France
ItalyUniversità degli Studi di Napoli L'Orientale
FranceSciences PoFaculty · Paris & Reims
Conferences
Major international speaking engagements
United KingdomChatham HouseLife After ISIS · London · 2019
NorwayOslo Freedom Forum2018 & 2019
GermanyDLD ConferenceDigital Life Design · Munich
ItalyInternational Journalism FestivalPerugia · with Corrado Formigli · 2018
FranceUNESCO ParisRevive the Spirit of Mosul · with DG Audrey Azoulay
United KingdomCentre for Investigative JournalismSource Protection Programme
NetherlandsDebatpodium ArminiusRotterdam · 2024
AustriaVienna · Linz Liberation Concertwith MEP Josef Weidenholzer · 2018
FranceSciences Po ConferencesParis & Reims · 2023–2026
Affiliations
Research, advisory & consultancy roles
United NationsUNESCOSenior Consultant · Revive the Spirit of Mosul · 2018–2023
The HagueICCTAssociate Fellow · Counter-Terrorism
Washington, DCRESOLVE NetworkResearch Advisory Council
European UnionEU Visitors ProgrammeWall of Fame · Brussels
United NationsOHCHRSpecial Rapporteur on Cultural Rights · contributor
European UnionEU Visitors ProgrammeWall of Fame · Brussels
United NationsOHCHRSpecial Rapporteur on Cultural Rights · contributor
Teaching
University courses taught by the author · 2023–2026
Projects & Initiatives
What the author has founded, leads, or built
Awards & Recognitions
Honors, prizes & listings
Selected Publications
Chapters in edited scholarly volumes
“ISIS Attack on the Divinely Protected City of Mosul: A Terrorist Attack on Diversity and Peace”
In Mariz Tadros, Philip Mader & Kathryn Cheeseman, eds., Poverty and Prejudice. Bristol University Press, 2023.
“Space, Time and People: How the Destruction of Mosul’s Heritage Reshaped the Future of the People”
In Lorenzo Kamel, ed., Collapse and Rebirth of Cultural Heritage: The Case of Syria and Iraq. Peter Lang, 2020.
“IŞİD’in Düşüşünden Sonra Musul ve Civar Kasabaları”
In Davut Hut, ed., Yüzyıllık Sorun: Musul Vilayeti. VakıfBank Kültür Yayınları, 2020.
Entry in the Encyclopaedia of Islam, Three
Brill · Encyclopaedia of Islam, Three
Articles & Op-eds
Bylined journalism, policy writing & commentary
“The Forever War: The Doctrine and Legacy of ISIS Child Soldiers”
GWU Program on Extremism · Policy Report · February 2023
“History’s Rhymes in the Fall of Kabul and Mosul: Flawed Ideas, Broken Promises, and Poisonous Spin”
with Haroro J. Ingram · ICCT — International Centre for Counter-Terrorism, The Hague · September 2021
“Fraternity is More Durable than Fratricide: Pope Francis Visits Iraq”
with Victoria Fontan · Contending Modernities, University of Notre Dame · March 2021
“Mosul’s New Chapter: What do students think about the new books arriving at Mosul library, after Isis destroyed the previous building and collection?”
Index on Censorship, Vol. 48(3) · September 2019
“Eye of the Storm: The historian known as Mosul Eye on documenting what Isis were trying to destroy”
Index on Censorship, Vol. 47(1) · April 2018
Foreign Policy — Contributor Page
Bylined commentary at Foreign Policy
Featured & Spoke At
Yale University
World Fellow
George Washington University
Program on Extremism
MIT
Aga Khan Program Lecture
University of Chicago
Human Rights in Practice
UC Berkeley
Center for Middle Eastern Studies
Penn State University
Public Lecturer
Columbia University
Speaker
Georgetown University
Speaker
NYU
Speaker
Harvard University
Speaker
Oslo Freedom Forum
Featured Speaker
UNESCO
Hague & Naples Conferences
Sciences Po
Instructor
King’s College London
War Studies
Collège de France
Speaker
Bibliothèque nationale de France
Open Day Speaker
University of Naples L’Orientale
Instructor
University of Oxford
Speaker
University of Cambridge
Speaker
London School of Economics
Speaker
ICCROM
Climate.Culture.Peace
Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Naples Conference
French Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Crisis & Support Center
UK FCDO
Counter Daesh Communications
Projects & Work
Clandestine journalism
Mosul Eye Blog
The anonymous blog that documented life under ISIS from inside the city. Became one of the world’s only reliable sources from occupied Mosul.
2014 – present
Humanitarian
Civilian Rescue Operations
Used social media to coordinate the rescue of ninety-two families by providing precise GPS coordinates to Iraqi forces and the international coalition.
2016 – 2017
Cultural recovery
Mosul University Library Campaign
International effort to resupply the Central Library after ISIS burned thousands of books and manuscripts.
2017 – present
Cultural recovery
Bringing Music Back to Mosul
Orchestrated the first public music performance in Mosul after liberation. Music had been banned by ISIS for three years.
April 2017
Heritage preservation
Reviving the Jewish Memory of Mosul
Documenting oral histories of the Jewish community that once flourished in Mosul. Preserving synagogues, cemeteries, and physical remnants.
2018 – present
Environment
Green Mosul Project
Environmental sustainability initiative. Pope Francis had a tree planted in his name within the project during his 2021 Iraq visit.
2020 – present
Podcast
Mosul and the Islamic State
Podcast series telling untold stories from inside ISIS’s reign of terror and the enduring struggle of the people of Mosul.
Ongoing
Podcast
36 Minutes on Antisemitism
Series discussing the rise of antisemitism around the world, featuring policymakers and officials globally.
Ongoing
Research
Antisemitism Research Initiative
Leading the initiative within GWU’s Program on Extremism, studying antisemitism in the Arab world.
GWU · Ongoing
Rescue
Mosul Zoo Rescue
Arranged the rescue of a lion and a bear from the Mosul zoo, which ISIS had converted into a torture center.
2017
The Author
Omar Mohammed
Born in 1986 in Mosul to ancient Moslawis, Omar Mohammed was schooled in the alleys of Badr al-Din Lu’lu’ before going on to study in Cairo, Paris, and New Haven. Though he holds a BA, an MA, and a PhD, IT has nonetheless rendered him largely illiterate.
Since coming of age, he has been leading a double life — as a historian and otherwise — using English to write up his scholarship, and Arabic and French to write between the lines of what could not be signed, in the stubborn attempt to distinguish fiction from reality. Although childless, his cat, named Plato, who behaves accordingly, and his dog, Grace, hold his heart, even as he shares his time between Paris, Washington, the Mediterranean, and a city he keeps returning to, whether or not it is his to return to. Of course, they share his love with the archives nobody else would read…
At the Vatican
In Government
At UNESCO
On Stage
Recognition & Justice
Portraits
The World Watched
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people read Mosul Eye in twelve months.
Source Meltwater press monitoring · January 2017 – January 2018
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A Line of Witnesses
Woe to the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without victims.
Nahum 3:1 (seventh century BC)
From this place they marched to a great stronghold, deserted and lying in ruins. The name of this city was Mespila, and it was once inhabited by the Medes.
Xenophon, Anabasis III.4 (401 BC)
The city is a large and ancient one, fortified and imposing, and prepared against the strokes of adversity.
Ibn Jubayr, Riḥlat Ibn Jubayr (1184)
By ruse and treachery, the Mongols captured Mosul, massacred its inhabitants, and went on plundering and looting for nine days. They then razed the town to the ground, and the survivors fled.
Yāsīn ibn Khayr Allāh al-Khaṭīb al-‘Umarī, Munyat al-udabā’ (f. 32v)
The river knew what the occupation did not: that conquerors are temporary.
Par lui-même, Mosul (2014)
For the river.
A city remembers. So will the world.