ISIS takes control of Mosul

Insurgents took control of Iraq’s northernmost city Mosul in the early hours of this morning; this comes after four days of fighting in the city which was attacked by militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Fighters overran the entire western bank of the city overnight after Iraqi soldiers and police apparently fled their posts, in some instances discarding their uniforms as they sought to escape the advance of the militants.

The insurgents seized the government complex late yesterday

The gunmen also torched several of the city’s police stations, freeing detainees held in lockups. Some 2,000 prisoners were released, according to reports. Detainees set free from police stations were seen running in the streets in their yellow-jumpsuits, residents said.

Several worried Mosul residents reported seeing the gunmen hoisting the black flags inscribed with the declaration used by ISIS.

On Monday, the provincial governor Atheel Al-Nujaifi urged residents to fend off the attackers.

ISIS, an Al-Qaeda splinter group, has been behind the bulk of the bloody attacks in Iraq and is among the rebel forces fighting to topple President Bashar Al-Assad in neighbouring Syria.