Baku, Azerbaijan, June 12
By Ilkin Izzet - Trend:
Chairman of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, Cemil Cicek, who is on a visit to Baku, has made a statement on the capture of the Turkish diplomats by terrorists in Iraq's Mosul city.
He made the statement during the meeting of the Council of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Turkic Speaking Countries (TURKPA).
Cicek harshly condemned the capture of some 49 Turkish diplomats.
About 49 diplomats and the consulate general of Turkey's Consulate in Iraq's Mosul city were taken hostage. Moreover, the terrorists captured some 31 Turkish citizens at the Kilic checkpoint.
At the same time, the Turkish Milliyet newspaper reported that the militants of the 'Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant' (ISIL) organization have released the representatives of the Turkish consulate in Mosul.
"We will take all necessary steps to free all the Turkish citizens soon. Meanwhile, we will contribute to the restoration of peace and order in this region," the parliament chairman said.
"If our citizens are not released soon, Turkey will take serious steps. We will not forgive this," Cicek stressed.
As previously reported, the militants of the ISIL group have taken the control of Mosul, the second most populous city of Iraq.
The situation in northern Iraq sharply escalated last week, as nearly 60 people were killed as a result of numerous clashes between the Iraqi security forces and militants near the city of Mosul.
The 'Islamic state' has had control of the western part of Mosul for the last several days. It attacked and captured the governor's residence building on June 9.
Additionally, it was reported that the ISIL militants, who previously captured the cities of Mosul and Tikrit, also plan to seize Baghdad, the capital of Iraq.
Edited by CN