When the Iraqi-led allied assault on the city of Mosul, Iraq, to expel the Islamic State from its biggest base city began, predictions were, it would take 3 or 4 months.  But after it took 5 months just to take East Mosul, and the casualty count among Iraqi forces was reaching unsustainable levels, the strategy for taking West Mosul was changed.  American-supported Air strikes and Iraqi ground force shelling with artillery and mortars was stepped up, and damage to property and civilians soared.  Photo-journalist Ivor Prickett covered the story in depth.