Sunni militants took over the city of Mosul—one of the largest in Iraq—today. From the Wall Street Journal:
Government forces fled the northern city of Mosul in disarray as hundreds of well-armed militants overran government buildings, television stations and military bases where U.S.-supplied heavy weaponry is stored…
“The whole of Mosul collapsed today. We’ve fled our homes and neighborhoods, and we’re looking for God’s mercy,” said Mahmoud Al Taie, a dentist. “We are waiting to die.”
The rebel group, Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, or ISIS, already controls the city of Fallujah. The group was once allied with al-Qaida, but al-Qaida disavowed that association in February, apparently via a surreal public statement that complained about ISIS’ failure to meet appropriate standards of “teamwork.”
