Hundreds of Mosul residents continue to flee their homes, as Iraqi forces fight to reclaim the city from the self-styled Islamic State terrorist group.
France 24 followed a military convoy in charge of escorting civilians to safety.
More than 28,000 people have fled Mosul since February 19, when security forces began the latest stage in the campaign against the terrorist group in Iraq, according to the International Organization for Migration.
Residents who escape, nevertheless, risk being killed as they are still caught between IS group sniper bullets and the military’s shelling.
Some have been lucky to find protection from Iraqi forces who use armored vehicles to escort them to camps.
“They are shooting all over the place. It’s very dangerous out there,” an Iraqi soldier told France 24, referring to IS group fighters.
“We go to civilians with our armored vehicles. If we cannot fit them into our vehicles, we just ride next to them while they walk.”
The United Nations Assistance Mission to Iraq reported at least 451 civilian casualties in February, commending Iraqi troops for “seeking to minimize civilian casualties”.
However, there have been unconfirmed reports of dozens of civilians dying in the old city as a result of bombing by coalition forces.
