CNN on front lines as Iraqi troops make final push to Mosul

The Iraqi Army backed by U.S. airstrikes is making its final push to retake Mosul, possibly entering the city in a matter of hours. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh reports.

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>>> WELCOME BACK TO "THE LEAD."
LET'S TURN TO THE WORLD LEAD
NOW.
IT COULD BE A VICIOUS AND BLOODY
SHOWDOWN.
IRAQI TROOPS COULD AT ANY TIME
ENTER MOSUL.
THE TERRORIST GROUP HAS LEFT A
TRAIL OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION
EVER SINCE THE TERROR FORCE
LOOSENED ITS GRIP ON THE CITY.
AS MANY AS 5,000 TERRORISTS ARE
SAID TO BE HOLED UP IN AND
AROUND MOSUL READY TO FIGHT TO
THE DEATH.
LET'S GO TO NICK PEYTON.
HE'S IN IRBIL, IRAQ.
WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONS LIKE ON
THE GROUND RIGHT NOW?
>> Reporter: IT IS TOUGH MOVING
DOWN THAT ROAD FROM THE EAST OF
MOSUL TOWARD THE CITY LIMITS
THEMSELVES.
IRAQI MILITARY LOUD TODAY SAYING
THEY'RE NIPPING THOSE CITY
LIMITS IN CERTAIN AREAS.
BUT YES, THEY ARE HEARING
GUNSHOTS, THEY ARE SEEING IRAQI
ARMY NEARBY, AIRSTRIKES
FOLLOWING THEM, TOO.
BUT IT'S GOING TO BE A HARD
FIGHT.
AS WE SAW OURSELVES, INTENSE
RESISTANCE ON SATURDAY NIGHT
THAT WE OBSERVED ON THAT MAIN
ROAD.
THEY HEADED TO THE VILLAGE NEAR
WHERE WE WERE, CERTAINLY, BUT IT
ISN'T CLEAR IF THIS IS PART OF A
BROADER BID BY THE IRAQI
MILITARY TO SHOW THE ONLY
NARRATIVE TO KIND OF TAKE BACK,
IF YOU LIKE, FROM THE
COALITION'S SUGGESTION THEY
SHOULD PAUSE IN CASE THEY'RE
ATTACKED FROM BEHIND.
THE IRAQI PRIME MINISTER VERY
VOCIFEROUSLY SAYING THEY'LL CUT
OFF THE HEAD OF THE SNAKE,
URGING THEM TO STAY INDOORS.
BUT THE OTHER PART OF THE
NARRATIVE, WHAT'S HAPPENING
INSIDE THE CITY.
THERE ARE A MILLION OR TWO
MILLION CIVILIANS THERE THAT MAY
BE USED AS HUMAN SHIELDS.
WE'VE KNOWN AND SPOKEN TO
RESISTANCE FIGHTERS WAITING FOR
WHAT THEY CALL ZERO HOUR.
IN THE LAST 24 HOURS, SOME
SENIOR ISIS OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN
SHOT DEAD IN DRIVE-BY INSTANCES
IN THAT CITY.
IS THIS THE BEGINNING OF A
RESURRECTION?
IS THE ZETHE ZERO HOUR NOW UPON
THOSE PEOPLE?
ALL UNKNOWNS.
WHAT'S PRETTY CLEAR IS THE
EPISODE OF FIGHTING INSIDE MOSUL
WILL BE CERTAINLY BLOODIER THAN
WHAT THEY'VE HAD AROUND THE
DESERTED CITY ITSELF, JAKE.
>> OBVIOUSLY ISIS IS NOT GOING
TO GO DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT TO
THE DEATH.
WHAT KIND OF COUNTERMEASURES ARE
T
THEY TAKING FOR THEIR STRONGHOLD
IN MOSUL THAT THEY'VE TAKEN FOR
TWO YEARS?
>> THE SHEER VOLUME OF BOOBY
TRAPS AND MINES LAID EVERYWHERE
AND IN ALMOST EVERY HOUSE WE
WERE IN, THEY HAVE TO CLEAR IT
PAINSTAKINGLY.
YOU NEVER KNOW IF A TOY ON THE
FLOOR IS LINKED TO A BOMB OR
SOMETHING A CHILD LEFT BEHIND.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR IRAQIS
SIMPLY TO MOVE THROUGH AREAS AND
THAT'S IN VILLAGES THAT ISIS
DON'T CARE THAT MUCH ABOUT.
IMAGINE WHAT THEY'VE GOT IN
STORE FOR ISIS SECURITY
OFFICIALS IN THE CITY, A DENSELY
PACKED ENVIRONMENT.
MANY CIVILIANS CAUGHT IN THERE.
HARD ENOUGH IN THE BEST OF
TIMES.
IRAQ'S SPECIAL FORCES THAT WE
SAW, A BRAVE JOB INDEED,