With Ansar Al Islam flushed out of their strongholds and pushed into the mountains of the Iranian border, families who fled their homes because of the fighting are coming back home.

Tractors, trucks and cars loaded with possessions are rolling along the road to the town of Khormal.

This family left ten days ago when the operation to “liquidate” (the word used by the Special Forces) Ansar began. Now, they feel it’s safe to return.

While filming I passed the checkpoint where the Australian cameraman Paul Moran was killed in an Ansar suicide bombing a couple of weeks ago. The burnt out and twisted remains of the car that blew up still lies there. I chose not to linger.

Discuss Northern Iraq Weblog