Iraqi federal policemen stand guard at a checkpoint in Baghdad, Iraq, Wednesday, June. 11, 2014. Karim Kadim/AP
Iraqi Militants Seize Control of Turkish Consulate in Mosul, Take Hostages
The 48 hostages are unharmed.
Islamist militants from the al-Qaeda splinter group the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), who have been in control of the northern Iraqi city of Mosul since Monday night, have now seized the building housing the Turkish consulate. There are reportedly dozens of hostages.
Militants seize 48 Turks at Turkish consulate in Mosul. Those seized are unharmed: Turkish prime ministry source
— Reuters World (@ReutersWorld) June 11, 2014
Turkish PM official tells CNN ISIS stormed Turkish Consulate in Mosul,detained 48 diplomats & civilians. "Its quite a fragile situation"
— Ivan Watson (@IvanCNN) June 11, 2014Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan called an emergency meeting to deal with the situation, and a source in the Turkish government told Reuters that "certain militant groups in Mosul have been directly contacted to ensure the safety of diplomatic staff." Still, it seems the siege was unexpected:
#Turkey's Foreign Min. Davutoglu said just yesterday that Ankara's Mosul consulate was calm, w/ no cause for concern: http://t.co/g6WH5SMeDg
— Emre Peker (@wsjemre) June 11, 2014
#Mosul Turkish consulate attack: #Turkey once again taken by surprise in their own "back yard". Good chance now to screw up a rescue op.
— Boris Kálnoky (@bkalnoky) June 11, 2014Although, according to the Hurriet Daily News, Turkey had planned to discharge from the consulate, but was unable to deploy it before the event. Yesterday, ISIS militants captured at least 28 Turkish truck drivers in the city.
There are also reports that ISIS, armed with Iraqi money and equipment, have no seized the town of Tikrit, expanding their area of control.