At the gates of Mosul and back to Kirkuk

AT THE KAZAR RIVER, Iraqi Kurdistan — The bridge over this river to Mosul has been blown by the Iraqis last night as they retreated back toward Mosul. We’re about a 15-20 minute car drive to Iraq’s third largest city and a Sunni stronghold. Well, 15-20 minutes if the bridge weren’t demolished.
In last night’s destruction, the Iraqis also hit a civilian truck, killing the family inside. (See attached pictures.) Kawa Ramadan, a 22-year-old peshmerga, goes on to tell me that Kurdish troops are 10 km beyond this bridge and advancing on Mosul. But we’re stuck.
As we’re standing there. the contrails of a B-52 looms overhead. Kurdish radio has just announced that Kirkuk has fallen. Off we go.