Anadolu Agency news team enters ISIL-held Mosul

MOSUL

An Anadolu Agency news team has entered the Iraqi city of Mosul, which is under the control of Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant militants.

 ISIL militants allowed correspondents from the Turkish state news agency to tour Iraq's second-largest city on Wednesday, but barred them from taking photos.

The militants said they were angry about the news coverage in the world media about them, but declined to discuss latest developments, replying only "yes" and "no" to reporters' questions.

Many residents were cautious about speaking out against ISIL.

'Tight security'

However, Mosul taxi driver, Mohammed Yosuf, told the Anadolu Agency: "The Islamic State have not treated people badly."

"Everything is changing here all the time. Sometimes there are tight security controls at the checkpoints, sometimes there are none."

ISIL-held districts are generally calm, but also tense. 

In the district of Tahrir, there were damaged buildings and shortages of electricity, water and oil.

At least 1,075 people, mostly civilians, were killed during June, following the increase in sectarian fighting led by ISIL militants, according to the United Nations.

Ongoing clashes

ISIL has extended its reach into Iraq since it seized Iraq's second city Mosul two weeks ago, followed by a number of other towns in the north and west. 

About one million civilians have been displaced in Iraq during the fighting and clashes between the Iraqi army forces and ISIL militants are ongoing.

The militant group is now struggling to take the control of strategically important district of al-Alem. 

ISIL also holds control of Al-Qa’im, Rawah, Anah, Ratba and Haditha cities of the western province of Anbar. 

www.aa.com.tr/en