Pictures of the year: Fighting Islamic State

A man cries as he carries his daughter while walking from an Islamic State-controlled part of Mosul towards Iraqi special forces soldiers during a battle in Mosul, Iraq, March 4. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

Members of Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) forces look at the positions of Islamic State militants during clashes in western Mosul, Iraq, May 15. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui

Displaced Iraqi women who just fled their home rest in the desert, as they wait to be transported while Iraqi forces battle with Islamic State militants in western Mosul, Iraq February 27. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra

Shi'ite Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) run and cover themselves from a bomb attack in outside of Hawija, Iraq, September 30. REUTERS/Stringer

An Iraqi special forces soldier shot dead an Islamic State suicide bomber in Mosul, Iraq March 3. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

Amar Hussein, 22, an Islamic State member, listens to a counterterrorism agent in Sulaimaniya, Iraq February 15. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra

Smoke rises at the positions of the Islamic State militants after an air strike by the coalition forces near the stadium in Raqqa, Syria, October 4. REUTERS/Erik De Castro

Iraqi soldiers from 9th Armoured Division give drops of water to a dehydrated child rescued earlier by soldiers at the frontline, during the ongoing fighting between Iraqi forces and Islamic State militants near the Old City in western Mosul, Iraq...more

Snipers with the Iraqi federal police take their positions during clashes with Islamic State militants, in Mosul, Iraq March 25. REUTERS/Khalid al Mousily

A displaced Iraqi girl who fled her home cries during a battle between Iraqi forces and Islamic State militants, near Badush, Iraq, March 16. REUTERS/Stringer

Cars abandoned by people fleeing Mosul after Islamic State took over the city in 2014 are seen near a Kurdish Peshmerga checkpoint on the road to Mosul, Iraq August 5. REUTERS/Marius Bosch

A Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighter sit as medics treat his comrades injured by sniper fired by Islamic State militants in a field hospital in Raqqa, Syria, June 28. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

A members of the Iraqi Federal Police throws a hand grenade during clashes with Islamic State fighters in western Mosul, Iraq, April 29. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui

A man takes a photograph of his friend as thick smoke rises from a fire, which broke out at oil wells set ablaze by Islamic State militants before they fled the oil-producing region of Qayyara, Iraq, January 28. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed

A member of Iraqi security forces holds a flag of Islamic State militants on the top of a destroyed building from clashes in the Old City of Mosul, Iraq, July 10. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani

A woman gestures as she approaches Iraqi special forces soldiers during a battle in Mosul, Iraq, March 1. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

A displaced Iraqi girl cries before entering Hamam al-Alil camp, as Iraqi forces battle with Islamic State militants, south of Mosul, Iraq, March 10. REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

Ameen Mukdad, a violinist from Mosul who lived under ISIS's rule for two and a half years where they destroyed his musical instruments, performs at Nabi Yunus shrine in eastern Mosul, Iraq, April 19. REUTERS/ Muhammad Hamed

Members of the Iraqi army drop leaflets over the old city of Mosul, Iraq, June 18. REUTERS/Ahmed Saad

An Iraqi special forces soldier reacts after Islamic State militants shot dead another Iraqi special forces soldier during a battle in Mosul, Iraq, March 3. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) fire towards Islamic State militants during a battle in Al-Hatra, southwest Mosul, Iraq April 25. REUTERS/Stringer

Iraqi Special Operations Forces arrest a person suspected of belonging to Islamic State militants in western Mosul, Iraq, February 26. REUTERS/Alaa Al-Marjani

A member of the Iraqi Federal Police walks next to a destroyed house after clashes with Islamic State fighters in western Mosul, Iraq, April 28. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed

People who are trying to escape from Mosul walk in front of an Islamic State fighter, Iraq February 28. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

A Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighter reacts as he mourns near the body of his brother, who was an FSA fighter and died during an offensive against Islamic State fighters to take control of Qabasin town, on the outskirts of the northern Syrian town of...more

Kurdish fighters from the People's Protection Units (YPG) extinguish a fire in a wheat field burned during clashes with Islamic State militants in Raqqa, Syria, June 15. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

An elderly displaced Iraqi woman who fled from Islamic State militants carries a baby in Mosul, Iraq July 3. REUTERS/Alaa Al-Marjani

A member of the Syrian Democratic Forces calls his comrades during the fighting with Islamic State fighters in Raqqa, Syria August 14. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra

Members of the Iraqi rapid response forces fire a missile toward Islamic State militants during a battle in Somer district of eastern Mosul, Iraq January 11. REUTERS/Alaa Al-Marjani

An Iraqi special forces soldier fires at a drone operated by Islamic State militants in Mosul, Iraq, March 4. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

A man gestures at U.S. military vehicles driving in the town of Darbasiya next to the Turkish border, Syria, April 28. REUTERS/Rodi Said

A displaced Iraqi with his son prepares to get on a truck to be carried to a safe place, as Iraqi forces battle with Islamic State militants, in western Mosul, Iraq, March 8. REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

Displaced people, who fled Islamic State militants, cross the bridge in Al-Muthanna neighborhood of Mosul, Iraq, January 15. REUTERS/Ahmed Saad

A general view of the library at the University of Mosul, burned and destroyed during the battle with Islamic State militants, in Mosul, Iraq, January 30. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah

An Iraqi soldier holds up a wedding dress found at an abandoned house previously used by Islamic State militants in western Mosul, Iraq, June 15. REUTERS/Erik De Castro

A boy, who just fled a village controlled by Islamic State fighters, cries as he sits with his family inside a bus before heading to the camp at Hammam Ali, south of Mosul, Iraq, February 22. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra

An Iraqi Federal Police member carries a machine gun as he walks along a street controlled by Iraqi forces during a break in combat against Islamic State in Mosul, Iraq, April 3. REUTERS/Andres Martinez Casares

A member of Syrian Democratic Forces runs for cover from sniper fire from Islamic State militants near the stadium in Raqqa, Syria, October 4. REUTERS/Erik De Castro

A displaced Iraqi boy holds a white flag as his family flees during the battle between Iraqi rapid response forces and Islamic State militants at Tigris river frontline between east and west of Mosul, Iraq, January 25. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah

A vehicle that belonged to Islamic State militants is seen on the outskirts of the ancient city of Hatra near Mosul, Iraq, April 26. REUTERS/Stringer

One of the displaced Iraqis who fled their homes has his beard shaved outside Hamam al-Alil camp, south of Mosul, Iraq, March 10. REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

A member of the federal police is seen inside a tunnel used by Islamic State militants on the outskirts of Albu Saif, which was retaken by Iraqi military forces, south of Mosul, Iraq, February 22. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra

A disabled Iraqi girl who fled her home waits in a street for a truck to carry her to a safe place, as Iraqi forces battle with Islamic State militants, in western Mosul, Iraq, March 7. REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

Fighters with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) dance along a street in Raqqa, Syria, October 18. REUTERS/Erik De Castro

A Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighter stands near who he said were Islamic State fighters held prisoners, north of Raqqa city, Syria, March 8. REUTERS/Rodi Said