For nearly two years, Iraq's second city Mosul has been under the control of the militants from the group known as Islamic State (IS).

Life under their regime is brutal and tightly controlled - but also secretive, with only occasional reports reaching the outside world.

As the Iraqi army prepares to retake the city, more and more people have started to flee.

BBC Persian's Nafiseh Kouhnavard travelled to a Kurdish military checkpoint in Makhmur, near the front line, to meet people escaping IS.