Exclusive: Photos from Mosul's battlefront

Iraqi forces are pushing into the western half of Mosul, the city which was formerly the last Iraqi stronghold of the Islamic State group.

Having vanquished IS from the eastern half of the city - a town divided in two by the River Tigris - last month, the focus has shifted to the river's west bank, home to the labyrinthine old city - where narrow alleyways and ancient architecture provide a haven for street-fighting IS insurgents.

But to battle their way to the Old City, Iraqi troops must push northwards through surrounding villages. Mosul airport is the next goal. Once that is liberated and secured, it will be used as a staging post for the myriad of Iraqi and foreign troops and militias who are pitched in this battle.

One of the last remaining villages before the airport is Albu Saif. Here, on Monday, IS fighters ran pitched battles street-by-street as troops from Iraq's Rapid Response Division slowly gained the upper hand, forcing those militants who survived the hours of gunfighting to retreat from the village.

Photojournalist Matt Cetti-Roberts was there on the front lines, and has sent us these photos.

An Iraqi Army Aviation Mi-28 attack helicopter fires unguided rockets and 30mm cannon into the village of Albu Saif as Iraqi security forces continue with the offensive to retake western Mosul from Islamic State forces [Matt Cetti-Roberts]

A large plume of dust marks the impact of a coalition forces air dropped bomb on the village of Albu Saif, Iraq. The bomb was dropped in support of Iraqi Security Forces who were assaulting the settlement as part of the offensive to retake western Mosul from the Islamic State [Matt Cetti-Roberts]

As an Iraqi Security Forces Humvee burns, other vehicles of the Iraqi Rapid Response Division advance towards Albu Saif as they take part in the offensive to retake western Mosul from the Islamic State [Matt Cetti-Roberts]

Iraqi Rapid Response Division soldiers watch from their armoured Humvees for any movement in the village of Albu Saif, Iraq. The strategic settlement is located on high ground overlooking Mosul airport [Matt Cetti-Roberts]

An armoured Humvee of the Iraqi Rapid Response Division and an M117 armoured personnel carrier of the Federal Police drive into a valley as security forces prepare to carry out a flanking assault on the village of Albu Saif, Iraq [Matt Cetti-Roberts]

Troops from the Iraqi Rapid Response Division prepare to enter Albu Saif village [Matt Cetti-Roberts]

An Iraqi Rapid Response soldier, carrying an RPG, runs towards the village of Albu Saif as his battalion assaults the IS-held settlement [Matt Cetti-Roberts]

Entering the village, a soldier from the Iraqi Radip Response Division sprints across a street [Matt Cetti-Roberts]

Iraqi Rapid Response troops clear houses in the village of Albu Saif during the offensive to retake western Mosul from the Islamic State group [Matt Cetti-Roberts]

An Iraqi Rapid Response Division team react to an explosion as they clear the village of Albu Saif [Matt Cetti-Roberts]

An Iraqi Rapid Response Division soldier shoots at an IS fighter in the village of Albu Saif [Matt Cetti-Roberts]

Soldiers from the Iraqi Rapid Response Division use a commercially made drone to scout out the rest of the village of Albu Saif [Matt Cetti-Roberts]

With an Iraqi Army Aviation attack helicopter flying overhead, Iraqi Security Forces reinforcements advance in their bid to retake Western Mosul from the Islamic State group [Matt Cetti-Roberts]

Matt Cetti-Roberts is a London-based photojournalist and documentary photographer, currently working in northern Iraq. Follow him on Twitter: @unknownsnapper