Photos shot on a mobile phone show hundreds of Iraqis stuck in traffic as they attempt to flee Ramadi and the surrounding villages. ISIS militants launched a large offensive on Wednesday 15, April, and were able to seize control over the villages of Sjariyah, Albu-Ghanim and Soufiya, which had been under government control. The locals fear that the advance could reach Ramadi giving ISIS control over the capital of Anbar, Iraq’s largest province. ISIS insurgents are now about 100Km from Anbar’s Ain Al-Asad air base, where hundreds of US and coalition forces have been training Iraqi troops.
Former Iraqi army general Abass al-Assadi, Norwegian citizen, seen here with his 14 year old son Hussein, training in Kerbala, Iraq on January 29, 2015. Al-Assadi had lived in Norway since 1991, returned to Syria In 2013 with his daughter and two sons, to fight with the Assad regime and Òprotect Shiite shrines.Ó His daughter was killed in an artillery strike. He is now with his two sons engaged in the fight against the "Islamic State".. Photo by Mushtaq Muhammed / Transterra Media
16-year old Ali, son of Iraqi army general Abass al-Assadi, Norwegian citizen, seen training near Kerbala, Iraq on January 29, 2015. Al-Assadi had lived in Norway since 1991, returned to Syria In 2013 with his daughter and two sons, to fight with the Assad regime and Òprotect Shiite shrines.Ó His daughter was killed in an artillery strike. He is now with his two sons engaged in the fight against the "Islamic State".. Photo by Mushtaq Muhammed / Transterra Media
14-year old Hussein, son of Iraqi army general Abass al-Assadi, Norwegian citizen, seen training near Kerbala, Iraq on January 29, 2015. Al-Assadi had lived in Norway since 1991, returned to Syria In 2013 with his daughter and two sons, to fight with the Assad regime and Òprotect Shiite shrines.Ó His daughter was killed in an artillery strike. He is now with his two sons engaged in the fight against the "Islamic State".. Photo by Mushtaq Muhammed / Transterra Media
14-year old Hussein, son of Iraqi army general Abass al-Assadi, Norwegian citizen, seen training near Kerbala, Iraq on January 29, 2015. Al-Assadi had lived in Norway since 1991, returned to Syria In 2013 with his daughter and two sons, to fight with the Assad regime and Òprotect Shiite shrines.Ó His daughter was killed in an artillery strike. He is now with his two sons engaged in the fight against the "Islamic State".. Photo by Mushtaq Muhammed / Transterra Media
14-year old Hussein, son of Iraqi army general Abass al-Assadi, Norwegian citizen, seen training near Kerbala, Iraq on January 29, 2015. Al-Assadi had lived in Norway since 1991, returned to Syria In 2013 with his daughter and two sons, to fight with the Assad regime and Òprotect Shiite shrines.Ó His daughter was killed in an artillery strike. He is now with his two sons engaged in the fight against the "Islamic State".. Photo by Mushtaq Muhammed / Transterra Media
14-year old Hussein, son of Iraqi army general Abass al-Assadi, Norwegian citizen, seen training near Kerbala, Iraq on January 29, 2015. Al-Assadi had lived in Norway since 1991, returned to Syria In 2013 with his daughter and two sons, to fight with the Assad regime and Òprotect Shiite shrines.Ó His daughter was killed in an artillery strike. He is now with his two sons engaged in the fight against the "Islamic State".. Photo by Mushtaq Muhammed / Transterra Media
14-year old Hussein, son of Iraqi army general Abass al-Assadi, Norwegian citizen, seen training near Kerbala, Iraq on January 29, 2015. Al-Assadi had lived in Norway since 1991, returned to Syria In 2013 with his daughter and two sons, to fight with the Assad regime and Òprotect Shiite shrines.Ó His daughter was killed in an artillery strike. He is now with his two sons engaged in the fight against the "Islamic State".. Photo by Mushtaq Muhammed / Transterra Media
14-year old Hussein, son of Iraqi army general Abass al-Assadi, (left) Norwegian citizen, seen training near Kerbala, Iraq on January 29, 2015. Al-Assadi had lived in Norway since 1991, returned to Syria In 2013 with his daughter and two sons, to fight with the Assad regime and Òprotect Shiite shrines.Ó His daughter was killed in an artillery strike. He is now with his two sons engaged in the fight against the "Islamic State".. Photo by Mushtaq Muhammed / Transterra Media
16-year old Ali, son of Iraqi army general Abass al-Assadi, Norwegian citizen, seen training near Kerbala, Iraq on January 29, 2015. Al-Assadi had lived in Norway since 1991, returned to Syria In 2013 with his daughter and two sons, to fight with the Assad regime and Òprotect Shiite shrines.Ó His daughter was killed in an artillery strike. He is now with his two sons engaged in the fight against the "Islamic State".. Photo by Mushtaq Muhammed / Transterra Media
16-year old Ali, son of Iraqi army general Abass al-Assadi, Norwegian citizen, seen training near Kerbala, Iraq on January 29, 2015. Al-Assadi had lived in Norway since 1991, returned to Syria In 2013 with his daughter and two sons, to fight with the Assad regime and Òprotect Shiite shrines.Ó His daughter was killed in an artillery strike. He is now with his two sons engaged in the fight against the "Islamic State".. Photo by Mushtaq Muhammed / Transterra Media
16-year old Ali, son of Iraqi army general Abass al-Assadi, Norwegian citizen, seen training near Kerbala, Iraq on January 29, 2015. Al-Assadi had lived in Norway since 1991, returned to Syria In 2013 with his daughter and two sons, to fight with the Assad regime and Òprotect Shiite shrines.Ó His daughter was killed in an artillery strike. He is now with his two sons engaged in the fight against the "Islamic State".. Photo by Mushtaq Muhammed / Transterra Media
14-year old Hussein (center) and 16-year old Ali (standing, center), son of Iraqi army general Abass al-Assadi, Norwegian citizen, seen training near Kerbala, Iraq on January 29, 2015. Al-Assadi had lived in Norway since 1991, returned to Syria In 2013 with his daughter and two sons, to fight with the Assad regime and Òprotect Shiite shrines.Ó His daughter was killed in an artillery strike. He is now with his two sons engaged in the fight against the "Islamic State".. Photo by Mushtaq Muhammed / Transterra Media
16-year old Ali, son of Iraqi army general Abass al-Assadi, Norwegian citizen, seen training near Kerbala, Iraq on January 29, 2015. Al-Assadi had lived in Norway since 1991, returned to Syria In 2013 with his daughter and two sons, to fight with the Assad regime and Òprotect Shiite shrines.Ó His daughter was killed in an artillery strike. He is now with his two sons engaged in the fight against the "Islamic State".. Photo by Mushtaq Muhammed / Transterra Media
16-year old Ali, son of Iraqi army general Abass al-Assadi, Norwegian citizen, seen training near Kerbala, Iraq on January 29, 2015. Al-Assadi had lived in Norway since 1991, returned to Syria In 2013 with his daughter and two sons, to fight with the Assad regime and Òprotect Shiite shrines.Ó His daughter was killed in an artillery strike. He is now with his two sons engaged in the fight against the "Islamic State".. Photo by Mushtaq Muhammed / Transterra Media
Iraqi army general Abass al-Assadi, Norwegian citizen, seen training near Kerbala, Iraq on January 29, 2015. Al-Assadi had lived in Norway since 1991, returned to Syria In 2013 with his daughter and two sons, to fight with the Assad regime and Òprotect Shiite shrines.Ó His daughter was killed in an artillery strike. He is now with his two sons engaged in the fight against the "Islamic State".. Photo by Mushtaq Muhammed / Transterra Media
Iraqi army general Abass al-Assadi, Norwegian citizen, seen training near Kerbala, Iraq on January 29, 2015. Al-Assadi had lived in Norway since 1991, returned to Syria In 2013 with his daughter and two sons, to fight with the Assad regime and Òprotect Shiite shrines.Ó His daughter was killed in an artillery strike. He is now with his two sons engaged in the fight against the "Islamic State".. Photo by Mushtaq Muhammed / Transterra Media
July 16, 2014
Sulaymaniah, Iraq
With a picture of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader, and Iraqi President, Jalal Talbani in the background, female Peshmerga Paxshan Omer adjusts the stock of her Kalashnikov assault rifle in her family home in Sulaymaniah. As well as being a single mother, she is a widow, her husband having died of illness in 2000. Paxshan is one of 500 female Peshmerga fighters who are based at the Farmanday Peshmerga base near Sulaymaniah in Iraqi-Kurdistan.
July 16, 2014
Sulaymaniah, Iraq
Female Peshmerga fighter, Paxshan Omer, holds up a picture of her wedding day. She is a widow as husband having died of illness in 2000.
July 16, 2014
Sulaymaniah, Iraq
Female Peshmerga fighter, Paxshan Omer, shows pictures of her and her husband, including several from their wedding day.
July 16, 2014
Sulaymaniah, Iraq
Female Peshmerga fighter Paxshan Omer, shops for clothes at the local bazaar in Sulaymaniah.
July 16, 2014
Sulaymaniah, Iraq
Female Peshmerga fighter Paxshan Omer (Right) and her sister Shanwm, 25, shop for clothes at the local bazaar in Sulaymaniah.
July 16, 2014
Sulaymaniah, Iraq
Female Peshmerga fighter, Paxshan Omer, (Centre) and her sister Shanwm shop for food at the local bazaar in Sulaymaniah.
July 16, 2014
Sulaymaniah, Iraq
Female Peshmerga fighter, Paxshan Omer, listens to a song on her mobile phone as she guards a checkpoint at the Farmanday Peshmerga base. Both female and male Peshmerga train at the Farmandy base located close to Sulaymaniah in Iraqi-Kurdistan.
July 16, 2014
Sulaymaniah, Iraq
Female Peshmerga Paxshan Omer, sits in a chair as she guards a checkpoint at the Farmanday Peshmerga base.
July 16, 2014
Sulaymaniah, Iraq
Paxshan Omer's rifle leans against a wall as it dries, at the Farmanday Peshmerga base.
July 16, 2014
Sulaymaniah, Iraq
Paxshan Omer cleans her Kalashnikov rifle at the Farmanday Peshmerga base.
July 16, 2014
Sulaymaniah, Iraq
Rifles, belonging to female Peshmerga fighters, in the armory of the Farmanday Peshmerga base. Paxshan Omer is in charged of keeping the room in order.
July 16, 2014
Sulaymaniah, Iraq
A general view of the Farmanday Peshmerga base located close to the Kurdish city of Sulaymaniah, in Iraqi Kurdistan, where 500 female fighters are currently based and trained.
July 16, 2014
Sulaymaniah, Iraq
Female Peshmerga, Paxshan Omer, watched by her sons Sarhang, 16 (Centre), and Mohammad, 17, talks about her Kalashnikov assault rifle in the family home in Sulaymaniah.
July 16, 2014
Sulaymaniah, Iraq
Female Peshmerga, Paxshan Omer, watched by her sons Sarhang, 16 (Centre), and Mohammad, 17, talks about her Kalashnikov assault rifle in the family home in Sulaymaniah.
July 16, 2014
Sulaymaniah, Iraq
Female Peshmerga, Paxshan Omer, and her nephew Bli'nd (20), are seen in the kitchen of her house as they prepare to break their fast during the Islamic festival of Ramadan.
July 16, 2014
Sulaymaniah, Iraq
Female peshmerga Paxshan Omer, watched by her son Sarhang, 16 (Right), and her nephew Bli'nd (20), cooks food for herself and her family as they prepare to break their fast during the Islamic festival of Ramadan.
July 16, 2014
Sulaymaniah, Iraq
Female Peshmerga, Paxshan Omer, prays in her home in Sulaymaniah, where she lives with her two sons.
July 16, 2014
Sulaymaniah, Iraq
Female Peshmerga, Paxshan Omer, prays in her home in Sulaymaniah, where she lives with her two sons.
July 16, 2014
Sulaymaniah, Iraq
Paxshan talks to a friend on the phone while she cooks food for herself and her 2 sons as they prepare to break their fast during the Islamic festival of Ramadan.
July 16, 2014
Sulaymaniah, Iraq
Paxshan Omer cooks food for herself and her 2 sons as they prepare to break their fast during the Islamic festival of Ramadan.
July 16, 2014
Sulaymaniah, Iraq
Paxshan Omer talks to a friend on the phone as she cooks food for herself and her 2 sons as they prepare to break their fast during the Islamic festival of Ramadan.
July 16, 2014
Sulaymaniah, Iraq
Paxshan Omer marches and carries out a rifle drill at the Farmanday Peshmerga base.
July 16, 2014
Sulaymaniah, Iraq
Paxshan Omer, with her face still covered in mud used for camouflage, smiles after finishing an evenings training at the Farmanday Peshmerga base.