The International Union for Muslim Scholars has called for an immediate end to the violence in Mosul and asked the government in Baghdad to enter into talks to resolve the latest violence which has erupted in Iraq’s second-largest city.
The statement underlined that the violence in Mosul should end and the civilians should not be harmed.
"We want from Iraqi government to negotiate with the sides it is in conflict with and to stop using violence as a means of solution. History has shown us that military methods are not the solution," said the statement, signed by IUMS head Youssef al-Qaradawi and Secretary General Ali al-Qaradaghi.
However, the Association of Muslim Scholars in Iraq said in a statement: "The withdrawal of the Iraqi army under the revolutionist forces shows us the [Prime Minister Nouri] al-Maliki government policies went down and every young person who volunteers to take arms must join the revolutionist groups."
Mosul has witnessed clashes between Iraqi security forces and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant militants since Friday, which has left scores of people dead.
Outgoing Prime Minister Maliki said on Tuesday that Iraq had been placed on "maximum alert."
Iraq's parliament will also hold an emergency meeting Thursday to discuss ongoing "security chaos" in Mosul and across the country.
Thousands of residents fled Mosul and took shelter in Duhok and Erbil provinces after the military -- according to the province's governor -- simply melted away and allowed ISIL to take control of the city.
ISIL was established in the early years of the Iraq War, and pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda in 2004. It is now operating in Syria, as well. In February 2014, al-Qaeda cut its ties to the ISIL rebels.
aa.com.tr/en
