The Iraqi prime minister has called for a national state of
emergency after the city of Mosul and parts of the northern province of
Nineveh fell to al-Qaeda-inspired fighters.
Nouri al-Maliki said on Tuesday that he would ask parliament to declare the emergency after the overnight takeoverby the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
He said: "We will not allow Mosul to be under the banner of terrorism, We call on all international organisations to support Iraq and its stance in fighting terrorism. The entire world will suffer if terrorism spreads."
He stated that the government would arm civilians who volunteered "to defend the homeland and defeat terrorism".
Osama al-Nujaifi, the parliament speaker, said Iraqi soldiers abandoned their posts in Mosul when the attack began, action he described as "a dereliction of duty".
Nujaifi said parliament would discuss the call for a state of emergency on Thursday.
Reports by AFP later on Tuesday quoted Iraqi police sources as saying fighters had taken over areas of Kirkuk and Salaheddin province.
Syrian activists meanwhile said ISIL fighters had taken over the Syrian side of al-Yaroubiya crossing, one of three crossings into Iraq.
Read more: Iraq PM calls emergency after Mosul seized - Middle East - Al Jazeera English
Nouri al-Maliki said on Tuesday that he would ask parliament to declare the emergency after the overnight takeoverby the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
He said: "We will not allow Mosul to be under the banner of terrorism, We call on all international organisations to support Iraq and its stance in fighting terrorism. The entire world will suffer if terrorism spreads."
He stated that the government would arm civilians who volunteered "to defend the homeland and defeat terrorism".
Osama al-Nujaifi, the parliament speaker, said Iraqi soldiers abandoned their posts in Mosul when the attack began, action he described as "a dereliction of duty".
Nujaifi said parliament would discuss the call for a state of emergency on Thursday.
Reports by AFP later on Tuesday quoted Iraqi police sources as saying fighters had taken over areas of Kirkuk and Salaheddin province.
Syrian activists meanwhile said ISIL fighters had taken over the Syrian side of al-Yaroubiya crossing, one of three crossings into Iraq.
Read more: Iraq PM calls emergency after Mosul seized - Middle East - Al Jazeera English
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