Over 100,000 children remain in extremely dangerous conditions in western sections of Iraq’s Mosul city, the United Nations children’s agency reported.

Children were being used as human shields by the insurgents or were caught in the crossfire of the battle, the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) said in a statement. 

Some had been forced to take part in the fighting. Hospitals and clinics had come under attack, it said.

"We are receiving alarming reports of civilians including several children being killed in west Mosul," UNICEF said. "Some were reportedly killed as they desperately tried to flee the fighting which is intensifying by the hour." 

UNICEF calls on all parties in west Mosul to protect children and keep them out of harm’s way at all times, in line with their obligations under humanitarian law. Attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure including hospitals, clinics, schools, homes and water systems should stop immediately.