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Thousands of civilians have fled western Mosul as Iraqi forces continue to push back Islamic State militants.
Key points:
- Hundreds of thousands remain trapped in western Mosul
- Iraqi army, police, counter-terrorism forces lead assault on Mosul
- "There is no water, no food, no bread, nothing," civilian says
The United Nations (UN) is building a camp just south of the city to absorb the increasing flow of people suddenly without homes.
Hundreds of thousands more people are still trapped.
In Mosul's south, scores of Iraqis walk down a dusty road. Many are smiling and it soon becomes clear why.
They were among tens of thousands of civilians who were forced to leave their homes in October when the Iraqi-led offensive began, to act as human shields for Islamic State group (IS) militants retreating towards one of their dwindling number of strongholds in the city.
They were held hostage in Hawi al-Josaq — a district that Iraqi forces recaptured at the weekend, as they pushed their way deeper into Mosul's western half. Now, the civilians are free to return home.
"The situation is very good. The Iraqi security forces entered the district and liberated us," Mohammad Allawi said.
"We want to return to our home in Mafraq al-Qayyara."
Iraqi army, police and elite counter-terrorism forces are leading the assault on Mosul, capturing two more neighbourhoods from IS over the weekend and allowing thousands of civilians to flee.
The United States-led coalition has supplied air and artillery support. US advisers are directing air strikes on the frontline.
Iraqi forces have also opened safe corridors for fleeing civilians. Tired, dusty and frightened, many have begun pouring into a displacement camp south of the city.
As they made their escape, IS militants detonated at least 10 suicide car bombs. One bomb killed two policemen, but the others were blown up before reaching their targets.
"We were scared and frightened when we came. We left our house, our cars, everything we owned, with nothing but our clothes. Everything I have I left behind," Abdul Jalil Ahmed said.
"Scared, tired and hungry. I haven't eaten since yesterday. What can I tell you? My situation speaks for itself.
"There is no water, no food, no bread, nothing.
"We are free, our families are over there ahead of us and we are here. What can I say? We got out of the land of infidels. Truly, it's the land of infidels."
'I'll never go back to Mosul'
But many civilians have been caught in the crossfire as they try to flee.
Safana Hamad sits over the body of her small daughter Manar, who was killed in a mortar attack as they fled the fighting.
"I looked for you, I couldn't find you," she sobbed over the girl's body, clutching her toy doll.
"My darling, you are my brightness, you are my eye."
Another woman Najihah Abed lost three members of her family in a roadside bomb.
"My daughter-in-law was blown away and I did not find her body," she said.
"I searched for my son among the dead, there were almost 100 bodies. I found him wounded.
"I carried him on my shoulder, telling him to hold on. I do not know his whereabouts now.
"They took him to the hospital now and I do not know whether he is still alive or he died. Oh, God, I lost my house, my son, my daughter-in-law, and my granddaughter.
"We have been dying slowly for too long. I will never go back to Mosul."
Hundreds of thousands trapped in homes: UN
Scores of dead and wounded were brought to a field hospital just outside Mosul. Civilians make up a high proportion of casualties.
"So far, I received 50 to 60 people wounded by arbitrary bombing," said Brigadier General Salman Hashim from Iraq's Counter Terrorism Service.
"The road is full of bombs, and according to eyewitnesses ISIS are placing bombs underneath vehicles and blowing them up."
Around 3,000 civilians a day are fleeing some areas. But the UN estimates 750,000 are still trapped in their homes, under IS control.
Many are without proper access to food or water.
Protecting civilians is a key challenge that will slow the advance of Iraqi troops, coupled with the labyrinth of western Mosul's narrow streets and laneways.
Some are too narrow for armoured vehicles to enter, forcing Iraqi soldiers to leave their safety and fight on the ground.
Western Mosul last key stronghold in Iraq
Thousands of militants remain in the city, including many who travelled from western countries to fight with IS.
They face a 100,000 strong force made up of Iraqi soldiers, regional Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and Iranian-trained Shiite Muslim militias.
Western Mosul is the last key stronghold under IS control in Iraq. The city is split in half by the Tigris River. The Iraqi led forces recaptured eastern Mosul in January, and launched the assault on IS in western Mosul a week ago.
Since then, they have retaken several districts west of the river, including Mosul's airport, a nearby military base, a power station and three residential districts.
The Iraqi forces are now only three kilometres from the old city centre and Mosul's main government buildings. Capturing them would amount to IS' defeat, and end the Iraqi half of the so-called "caliphate" IS declared in 2014.
Raqqa in Syria remains the jihadist group's de facto capital. But the battle is likely to become more difficult as they get closer to the old city centre.
Topics: unrest-conflict-and-war, world-politics, terrorism, iraq
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