At last, after two long years of waiting, Iraqi forces are reported to have entered the outskirts of Mosul - the largest Middle Eastern city still under the control of Islamic State.

Their arrival marks the beginning of the real battle for Mosul. It will not be over quickly and the Iraqis are prepared for what could be months of street combat.

Also braced for the fight are the city's 1.5 million inhabitants. Many women and children are now alone after their husbands and fathers were killed or captured by Isil. Caught along the battle lines as Iraqi forces push forward to oust Isil from Iraq’s second city, they must now make an awful decision: stay and await the fight, or flee across the front lines.