Transcript for Battle for control of Mosul forces tens of thousands of residents to flee the violence

The battle against sizes and rock is centered in the city of Mosul wrenching images coming in from there tonight a rocky citizens many of them women and children. Fleeing for their lives from that last ice a stronghold. And tonight we're learning much more about what people are going through there ABC's Jennifer Acosta reports. They're pummeling ice is positions in western Mosul. US backed Iraqi troops stepping up the fight to retake the terror groups last stronghold in Iraq. But ice this is pushing back they controlled this CD for nearly three years there resistance fears. Car bombs street to street fighting and forcing a mass exit its tens of thousands of residents fleeing there escape so hurried and treacherous many left without shoes. Now faced dire conditions. People are trapped in by fired mortars airstrikes from. Let's start you don't reach them he simply will not be able. Aid groups believe more than 45000. People have fled since this fight began two weeks ago with up to 700000. Still trapped inside. Retaking the entire city could take months and would be a huge victory for Iraqi troops and the international campaign to defeat crisis.

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