Iraqi Kurds are now in control of Kirkuk as Sunni Islamist rebels advance towards Baghdad, Reuters reports.
According to Reuters, Security forces of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region fought off ISIL militants to seize oil-rich Kirkuk after Iraqi security forces dropped their weapons and deserted the city.
“The whole of Kirkuk has fallen into the hands of peshmerga. No Iraqi army remains in Kirkuk now,” said Jabbar Yawar.
ISIL militants seized Mosul and Tikrit Tuesday and are now set on overtaking Baghdad. The recent violence has caused 500,000 citizens to flee Mosul.
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has been criticized for his inability to fight off the Islamist militants. Iraq’s parliament is set to hold a session on Thursday to vote on declaring a state of emergency in Iraq.
