Iraqi troops in Mosul
As the Iraqi army closes in on the core of the city of Mosul, desperate terrorist resistance meets them at every turn.

While most of the mainstream media's focus remains on Syria and on Bashar al-Assad's and Vladimir Putin's alleged "crimes" there - mostly staged false-flags and manufactured propaganda on social media - there is a genuine humanitarian crisis unfolding in the Iraqi city of Mosul.

The Iraqi army, with US and other western advisors and aided by significant air support, are pushing onto the heart of the embattled city - the biggest stronghold of ISIS in Iraq.

Iraqi commanders report desperate house-to-house and street-by-street fighting with ISIS fanatics as they close in on the city's Great Mosque, where the group's apparent leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi proclaimed a caliphate 3 years ago.

Around 400,000 people remain trapped in Mosul, according to reports.

Russian TV went to the front line for a first hand look at the battle to liberate the city:

(Warning: video contains combat footage)