Footage reportedly shows Turkish consulate staff and Iraqi soldiers taken hostage by ISIL

ISTANBUL

The group of people seen in one of the videos are claimed to be the 49 members of the Turkish Consulate in Mosul, taken hostage by ISIL militants on June 11.

Two videos have begun circulating on the Internet reportedly showing the Turkish consulate staff and Iraqi soldiers being taken hostage by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants following their offensive on Mosul.

The group of people seen in the first video are claimed to be the 49 members of the Turkish Consulate in Mosul, including the consul general, diplomats, their families, children and security, hostage since June 11.

They are shown sitting on the asphalt of a highway before getting into vehicles and pick-up trucks. The authenticity of the footage has yet to be confirmed. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu had said in a statement on June 12 that the Turkish consulate was taken to a safer location, while adding that intense talks where conducted with ISIL militants.



Another video reportedly shows hundreds of Iraqis walking in a row after being captured by ISIL militants near the town of Tikrit. Unconfirmed reports claim in Tikrit alone, 4,500 soldiers have been captured by the group.