Oil well infernos paint sky in black as battle for Mosul enters last mile

Black skies of Mosul captured through lens (PHOTOS)

Tribal fighters walk as fire and smoke rises from oil wells, set ablaze by Islamic State militants before IS militants fled the oil-producing region of Qayyara, Iraq. Reuters

Smoke rises from oil wells, set ablaze by Islamic State militants before fleeing the oil-producing region of Qayyara. Reuters

A man returns to his village after it was liberated from Islamic State militants, south of Mosul in Qayyara. Reuters

Smoke rises from oil wells, set ablaze by Islamic State militants before fleeing the oil-producing region of Qayyara. Reuters

An Iraqi soldier stands next to detained men accused of being Islamic State fighters, at a check point in Qayyara, south of Mosul. Reuters

Civilians return to their village after it was liberated from Islamic State militants, south of Mosul. Reuters

A newly displaced woman runs after she jumped over a back wall and rushed to grab humanitarian packages, as smoke rises from a burning oil refinery at a processing centre in Qayyara. Reuters

Girls are reflected in oil as they walk near smoke rising from oil wells, set ablaze by Islamic State militants before IS militants fled the oil-producing region of Qayyara. Reuters

rmed members of Shi'ite militia Hashid Shaabi ride a motorbike near Qayyara, south of Mosul. Smoke in the background is from burning oilfields set ablazed by Islamic State fighters. Reuters