Ninawa | United States Forces

New Face of Iraq

Ninawa

Written by Tiraporn Olsen Friday, July 31, 2009 20:00

Ninawa province is in northern Iraq. Its name is derived from the biblical city of Nineveh in Assyria. It has an area of 23,190 square miles and an estimated population of 2.5 million. Its chief city and the provincial capital is Mosul, which lies across the Tigris river from the ruins of Nineveh. Tal Afar is also a major city within the region. Prior to 1976 it was called Mosul province and also included the present day Dahuk province.

Its two main cities endured the 2003 invasion and emerged relatively unscathed. In 2005, however, Mosul and Tal Afar were the scenes of fierce battles between Coalition troops and insurgents. The insurgents had moved to Ninawa after the Battle of Fallujah in 2004.

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