Emergency declared in Iraq after militants seized Mosul

Nuri al-Maliki, the Prime Minister of Iraq has declared a state of emergency in Iraq on 10 June 2014 after jihadist militants of al Qaida-affiliated Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant captured the city of Mosul and much of its province of Nineveh. State of emergency has broadened arrest powers and allows curfews to be imposed and a general mobilization of civilians.

Apart from this, the Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has called upon to United Nations, Arab League, European Union and others to support Iraq in its stand on fighting terrorism.

Maliki has also announced that the government would arm its citizens to fight against the militants and join the security forces in defending their country. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has urged all Iraqi political leaders to show national unity against the militants.

The ultras of the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) overrun the military base and seized large parts of Mosul after an intense fighting of four days with security forces. It also forced the Iraqi military to withdrew its positions in north of the city.

Mosul, the second largest city of Iraq has long been a militant stronghold.

About Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS)
ISIS was formed in April 2013 and grew out of al-Qaeda’s affiliate organisation in Iran. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is the leader of the group that has about 3000 to 5000 fighters. It is mostly active in northern and eastern Syria and northern Iraq.