Irbil, Iraq (CNN)As fighting continued in and around Mosul on Friday, civilians caught in crossfire have a stark choice: whether to flee or stay huddled inside their homes.
Many residents tell CNN the intensity of the fighting and the airstrikes in eastern parts of the city limited their options.Still, tens of thousands have chosen the escape route.More than 47,730 people have been displaced because of the ongoing military operations to retake Mosul from ISIS, according to the International Organization for Migration. Roughly 12,800 people have fled since Tuesday, the organization said. – READ MORE