As Iraqi security forces continue their advance into Mosul, the civilian casualties are beginning to mount. In Mosul’s al-Samah neighborhood, ambulances wait at the ready.

“We do first aid for the injured, for civilians mostly, but the military as well. Mostly it’s civilians,” said Mutaaz Kerim, medic.

Civilians increasingly caught in the crossfire, or ISIL abuse as the battle rages between the army and the extremist group.

“Missiles from ISIL have killed many people here. Yesterday a woman and her children were stabbed and wounded. And a boy got stabbed in his shoulder,” said Mohammed, Kogjeli resident.

For residents lucky enough to make it out, the camps are waiting. Here they can find food, shelter and, above all, safety.

As tough as the conditions are in the camp, and they are indeed tough, they are much better than the conditions we saw down in Fallujah the last city the army recaptured from ISIL, and it is clear that lessons have been learned and better preparations put in place. But the numbers in these camps are still relatively small in the tens of thousands.

It is believed about a million people remain trapped inside Mosul forced to act by ISIL as human shields in a conflict that could drag on for weeks or even months.