ISIL raids Turkish consulate in Mosul, kidnaps 49 with consul

The Turkish Consulate in northern Iraqi city Mosul has been attacked by militants of the terrorist group from the self pro-claimed Islamic State of Iraq and Levant on Wednesday.

The attack came a day after militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant group, known as ISIL, took control of Iraq's second-largest city in northern province Nineveh on Tuesday.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan chaired an emergency meeting with senior government figures about the alleged attack.

Turkish President Abdullah Gül summoned Deputy Foreign Minister Naci Koru to the presidential palace to be briefed on the developments in Mosul.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu left talks in the United States to return to deal with the alleged attack.

Sources from the Prime Ministry said the events in Mosul are being followed closely and the Turkish Foreign Ministry will make a statement soon.

More than 300,000 residents have fled Mosul, which has seen clashes between security forces and militants since Friday.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Tuesday that Iraq had been placed on "maximum alert" and called on Iraq's parliament to declare a national state of emergency.