Families caught in Mosul crossfire

The roar of gunfire echoes through the rubble-strewn streets of the Tayaran
neighborhood in west Mosul, as a group of civilians scurries for cover.

A man carrying his child in his arms, looks back over his surroundings with unease after huddling in his home for days as intense fighting raged
outside.

Suddenly, a huge blast erupts nearby; scattering Iraqi soldiers and civilians in the city's war-torn streets as a massive plume of black smoke rises.

This is the dramatic footage, shot by freelance cameraman Ricardo Garcia Vilanova, more than two weeks after the offensive to drive ISIS out of west Mosul began.

The scenes are a snapshot of the complex conditions facing the country's military as
soldiers work to clear the region of militants.

Since then, Iraqi forces have been fighting house-by-house, block-by-block against ISIS
extremists.