Markets are back selling food as people venture out onto the streets and repairs are being carried out.

Municipal worker Ahmad Fathi said: “We’re fixing the pipes to make sure people have water, to hopefully live happily and comfortably.

TOPSHOT: Civilians walk past Iraqi forces as they flee Mosul's southeastern Al–Mithaq neighbourhood on Jan 3, 2017 @AFPphoto / @AhmadMousaQ pic.twitter.com/ccEjLDrGcc

— Ahmad Mousa (@AhmadMousaQ) 5 gennaio 2017

“There are many broken water pipes. We’re able to get water to Tahrir (district) but the network isn’t back to normal yet. We have pipes in Sukkar (district) that are broken and we’ll keep working to get water to everyone.”

Football games are even being played, with young people returning to sports grounds.

Osama, the manager of one football pitch, told reporters: “When ISIL came here the young men slowly left. People stopped coming here.

Iraqi military says Mosul university fully liberated in key step toward retaking the Islamic State-held city. https://t.co/aZvnpc6Cvf

— The Associated Press (@AP) 15 gennaio 2017

“The (militants) had many rules. Clothes with logos were not allowed, shorts were not allowed, our beards had to be long, we would have to stand in line in the pitch. They had many rules.”

The Iraqi military, backed up by US airstrikes, is vowing to rid Mosul of ISIL militants who captured the city in 2014.

Soldiers have made big advances in the east of Mosul, with the city’s main university recently recaptured.

The rebels are still in control of the western districts, across the Tigris river, but soldiers have recaptured the eastern gates of key bridges, ahead of what could be an imminent offensive westwards. (Euronews)

I met civilians in Mosul who were injured by grenades dropped from ISIS drones which are causing panic over Mosul https://t.co/Mfj4XnUNmw

— Campbell MacDiarmid (@CampbellMacD) 15 gennaio 2017

Up to 30 civilians 'killed in US-led coalition air strike' on Mosul https://t.co/u5khanafTa

— The Independent (@Independent) 14 gennaio 2017