BAGHDAD
The self-styled Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) reportedly assumed on Tuesday full control of Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city, a security source has said.
The militants seized the northern part of the city on Tuesday morning, a few hours after capturing the southern parts, the source told Anadolu Agency.
Security forces withdrew as the ISIL overtook the city, the capital of the Nineveh province, the source said.
Earlier in the day, another security source confirmed to AA that the militants had controlled Mosul airport as they swept the northern half of the city.
"They seized the Nineveh Operations Command headquarters in Al-Tayaran district in the south and the Police Directorate building in the central Al-Dawasa district," the source added.
Several local television channels transmitting from the city had gone off air after the militants advanced into the city.
Mosul has been the scene of fierce fighting between security forces and ISIL militants since Friday.
Scores have been killed in the clashes.
Iraq has seen a marked uptick in violence in recent months.
While the army continues to battle ISIL militants in the western and northern provinces, other areas of Iraq have seen unrelenting bombings, assassinations and attacks on both civilians and security personnel.
The Iraqi government blames the surge in violence on the ISIL militants, whom it accuses of being linked to Al-Qaeda.
www.aa.com.tr/en
