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Turkey urges citizens to leave Iraq

13 June 2014 03:55 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Turkey's Foreign Ministry on Thursday urged its citizens in Iraq to leave the country immediately following the abduction of 80 Turkish citizens, including its consul-general of northern Iraqi city of Mosul, capital of Nineveh province, by the Iraqi militants, APA reports quoting local media.

The ministry issued a new security warning to Turkish citizens who are already in Iraq or those who are planning to travel to this country.

Due to the further deterioration of security conditions in Iraq, the ministry recommended Turkish citizens willing to leave Iraq to choose the best and safest route.

For those who want to leave Iraq via land route may enter into Turkey through Habur border gate, it added.

A group of armed attackers of the Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (ISIL) took control of the consulate on Wednesday, and kidnapped 49 staff and family members, including the consul- general, the Turkey's Foreign Ministry said in its statement.

Meanwhile, 31 Turkish nationals were taken hostage by the same militant group in a power plant in the Gyarah region of Mosul, said the statement, adding that rescue efforts are currently underway.

The ISIL seized Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, and Tikrit, another provincial capital, respectively on Tuesday and Wednesday in its renewed clashes with government forces.