After eight months of fighting anti-ISIL forces are beginning to storm Mosul’s Old City,

the final district under the control of the Islamic extremists.

Around 100,000 civilians are cornered in the maze of ancient, narrow streets and alleys,

used as human shields by ISIL. The UN warns they have little food and water, and no access

to a hospital or medical supplies.

“Due to the continuous defeat of the ISIL gangsters they started to take new measures and

methods, using the civilians to protect themselves. Therefore the priority for the Iraqi forces is

to open safe corridors more than to advance on the ground. The main thing is to save the people from Daesh,” said Iraqi Defence ministry spokesman Brigadier General Mohammed al-Khodari.

Mosul is ISIL’s Iraqi “capital” and its fall would spell the beginning of the end for ISIL’s Iraqi ambitions

and regional caliphate extending into Syria.