(28 Jan 2017) Waiters rushed around serving food while people laughed over lunch in a crowded restaurant in Mosul on Friday.
The scene was difficult to imagine a few weeks ago, when the city was still partially controlled by the Islamic State.
When Mosul fell under the control of the Islamic State group, people weren't allowed to go out onto the streets, use mobile phones, or even wear their usual clothes.
In October 2016, the Iraqi forces, together with the US-led coalition, launched an operation to retake Mosul.
This week, the Iraqi government announced that Iraqi troops were fully in control of the east side of the city.
Military officials and residents celebrated by raising a giant Iraqi flag in a square near Mosul university.
However, it's still expected to be a hard battle against IS on the other side of the Tigris river.
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