Thousands of civilians are fleeing the battle areas in Mosul. Tired, dusty and frightened families arrived at a small hamlet near the village of Adhba on Sunday. They were to be collected there by Iraqi security forces for transportation to safer areas. Security checks were in place to prevent ISIL militants slipping into government-held areas. According to the UN, about 750,000 civilians are believed to be trapped in their houses in western Mosul. The region is expected to face food and fuel shortages as the battle continues, which could force up to 400,000 people to flee.
