ISIS commanders 'flee Mosul' with their wives, says top US general

The Iraqi military have called for ISIS fighters defending Mosul to surrender amid a huge offensive to retake the militant-held city.

Major General Gary Volesky, of the US Army, who heads the anti-IS coalition's land component, added ISIS commanders are 'fleeing the city' ahead of 'multiple assaults' planned for Thursday.

ISIS is also evacuating the 'wives of leaders' according to a reported order by ISIS boss Abu Bakr al-Baghdad.

But the UN fear up to 1.5million people could be caught in the cross-fire, used as human shields or be forced out of the region by the campaign.

In the biggest Iraqi military operation in years, forces have retaken dozens of villages, mostly south and east of Mosul - but the flying bullets, car bombs and explosions have not stopped people taking selfies next to burning wreckage. 

Maj Gen Volesky said: 'We are telling Daesh (IS) that their leaders are abandoning them. We've seen a movement out of Mosul.'

He told reporters in a video briefing that many foreigners among the 6,000 IS fighters would likely end up forming the core of the holdout jihadist force.

The Iraqi media outlet Al Sumaria added: 'The ISIS evacuated what it called the women of caliphate from the city of Mosul to the Syrian ISIS-held cities including Raqqa, over the last two days,' pointing out that, 'These women are the wives of the leaders of ISIS.'

'The women of caliphate were evacuated by orders from Baghdad to avoid being captured by the security forces or rebellious people of Mosul after liberating the city.' 

But Army General Joseph Votel, commander of U.S. Central Command, said the battle could last 'for months'.

Daily Mail