Earlier this week the Iraqi city of Mosul made headlines around the world when US troops fired on a crowd of civilians there. Al Jazeera reports over a dozen people died in the shooting. Dozens more were injured.

Eyewitnesses say the newly-appointed governor of Mosul, Mashaan al-Juburi, was exhorting people to cooperate with the US when chaos broke out. The crowd called him a liar and insisted he end his speech. When he continued, the angry crowd threw stones at him and ran towards him.

That was when US troops opened fire. Many among the wounded say the besieged governor asked US troops to open fire.

Well today we are going to look at life in the Iraqi city of Mosul from what may now seem like a distant era–Pre U.S. invasion. We are talking about the Mosul of a month ago.

May Ying Welsh recorded a video journal in the city just before the war started. This is a glimpse of the stresses caused by previous wars and the effects of sanctions illustrated through one Iraqi doctor’s experiences.

• May Ying Welsh, independent reporter in Iraq who produced a video journal in Mosul last month.