Omar Mohammed's long-awaited memoir tells the story behind the anonymous blog that exposed ISIS to the world while preserving the memory of Mosul under occupation.

Omar Mohammed's new book Mosul Eye recounts his secret struggle to document ISIS crimes from inside occupied Mosul and preserve the city's history.

The anonymous voice that defied ISIS has finally told its story

For nearly three years, one anonymous voice became one of the world's most trusted sources on life inside ISIS-controlled Mosul.

Hidden behind the pseudonym Mosul Eye, Iraqi historian Omar Mohammed risked execution every day by documenting atrocities, preserving evidence of war crimes, and ensuring that one of Iraq's darkest chapters would not disappear into propaganda or silence.

Now, that extraordinary story has been published in Mosul Eye: A Scholar's Clandestine War Against ISIS, a book that transforms one man's secret resistance into a powerful historical record of courage, memory, and survival.

A chronicle written under the shadow of death

When ISIS seized Mosul in June 2014, independent journalism effectively disappeared.

The city became isolated from the outside world as extremists imposed censorship, public executions, and strict control over information.

Amid that silence, Omar Mohammed began documenting daily life under occupation.

Writing anonymously, he recorded:

• ISIS executions.
• Cultural destruction.
• Daily life under extremist rule.
• Human rights abuses.
• Acts of civilian resistance.

His reporting soon became an indispensable source for journalists, governments, humanitarian organizations, and researchers trying to understand what was happening inside the self-proclaimed caliphate.

More than a memoir

The newly released book is not simply a personal memoir.

It serves as a historical archive of one of the most brutal occupations in modern Middle Eastern history.

According to endorsements included with the publication, Omar Mohammed's work helped preserve evidence that later contributed to documenting ISIS crimes and safeguarding historical memory before Mosul was liberated.

Judge Raed Al-Muslih, President of the Nineveh Court of Appeal, describes the book as "an essential document" that preserved verified evidence of ISIS crimes and honored the victims of Mosul.

International praise from world leaders

Few books about Iraq have received endorsements from such a broad range of international figures.

Among those praising Mosul Eye are:

• Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who called the work "a meticulous and unflinching work of witness."
• Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, who compared Omar Mohammed's documentation to the clandestine historians of the Warsaw Ghetto.
• Former CENTCOM leaders, diplomats, historians, military officials, and scholars who describe the work as an extraordinary act of moral courage.
• Former CIA Director General David Petraeus praised the book this way "During the years of ISIS control, an anonymous figure began reporting from inside the city under the name Mosul Eye. The reporting was detailed, disciplined, and consistently credible. I remarked at the time that it was like having a spy on the ground. I did not say that lightly. I had spent years relying on the best intelligence capabilities in the world—first in five combat commands as a general officer, later as director of the CIA. What Mosul Eye produced matched the quality of the finest intelligence reporting—yet it came from a single individual, operating alone. That individual was Omar Mohammed, a historian who studied at Mosul University. He was not a trained intelligence officer. He had no formal support, no extraction plan, no institutional backing. What he possessed was a historian's discipline—the ability to verify, cross-reference, and preserve evidence with precision. Under extraordinary danger, he transformed scholarship into resistance. […] This book tells the story of a man who preserved Mosul's truth when the city could not speak for itself. […] It is an honor to introduce this book. And it is a privilege to know the man who wrote it. He is my hero."

The endorsements reflect the global impact of the anonymous blog long before its author's identity became public.

A story of resistance, not revenge

One recurring theme throughout the praise for the book is that Omar Mohammed chose documentation over retaliation.

Rather than working secretly for intelligence services or political organizations, he made information publicly available so the world could witness events unfolding inside Mosul in real time.

His work demonstrated that preserving facts can itself become a powerful form of resistance.

Preserving a city's memory

ISIS sought not only to conquer territory but also to erase history.

Ancient monuments were destroyed.

Libraries were burned.

Museums were looted.

Religious and cultural diversity came under systematic attack.

In that context, Mosul Eye became more than a news source.

It became a repository of Mosul's collective memory—a record of what extremists attempted to erase.

As several contributors note, documenting the city's suffering ensured future generations would understand not only ISIS's crimes but also the resilience of Mosul's people.

Why the book matters today

Although ISIS no longer controls Mosul, the struggle over memory continues.

Questions surrounding accountability, reconstruction, reconciliation, and historical preservation remain central to Iraq's future.

Books such as Mosul Eye help fill a critical gap by providing firsthand testimony from inside occupied territory rather than retrospective analysis alone.

For historians, policymakers, journalists, and students of conflict, such accounts provide invaluable insight into how extremist organizations govern, how civilians survive under occupation, and how individuals can resist through documentation rather than violence.

Analysis: the power of one voice

The publication of Mosul Eye arrives at a time when misinformation, propaganda, and historical revisionism increasingly shape public debates.

Omar Mohammed's story demonstrates that individual citizens can play a decisive role in preserving truth during conflict.

His work reminds readers that resistance does not always take place on the battlefield.

Sometimes it begins with a notebook, a hidden internet connection, and the determination to ensure that atrocities are neither forgotten nor denied.

For Iraq, the book is more than a memoir—it is part of the country's historical archive.

For the wider world, it stands as a reminder that documenting truth can become one of the most powerful acts of courage during war.

Key takeaways

• Mosul Eye: A Scholar's Clandestine War Against ISIS tells the story behind the anonymous blog that documented ISIS rule in Mosul.
• Omar Mohammed secretly recorded atrocities and daily life under ISIS occupation while risking his life.
• The book has received endorsements from international leaders, historians, judges, diplomats, and military officials.
• It is widely described as an important historical record preserving evidence of ISIS crimes and the resilience of Mosul's people.

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• Related: How Mosul Rebuilt After the Fall of ISIS
• Analysis: The Lasting Legacy of ISIS on Iraq's Cultural and Historical Identity