The reports are disturbing: Tens of thousands of men, women and children snatched from their homes and forced into the center of Mosul as the battle intensifies to drive ISIS out of Iraq's second-largest city.
The intent is sinister: Using civilians as human shields is ISIS's attempt to hold onto the city, the jewel of its self-proclaimed caliphate.
No one expected the militants to surrender Mosul without a hellish fight. But for Iraqis still living under ISIS control in the city and surrounding areas, every option now is grim.
They can try to flee but be branded by ISIS as "apostates," for which the penalty is death. Or they can potentially be seen as ISIS sympathizers in a new place and risk becoming victims of revenge crimes.
They can try to hold out and survive the fierce fighting ahead. Or they can be forced further into the heart of Mosul and serve as human shields.
It's a horrifying prospect: be killed by ISIS or be killed in the attacks to defeat ISIS
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