ISIS Captures Tikrit

As an update to yesterday's post about the threat of ISIS, this from the VOA News:

Iraqi security officials say Islamist militants who took over the city of Mosul Tuesday have seized the city of Tikrit, less than 200 kilometers (124 miles) from Baghdad. 

The officials said the Sunni militants have moved southward from Mosul, taking control of Iraq's biggest oil refinery and Tikrit, the hometown of fallen Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. 

Security officials said the insurgents entered the town of Beiji late Tuesday, set fire to the police station and courthouse, and drove out some 250 men guarding the refinery. The insurgents reportedly offered the guards safe passage if they left peacefully. 

Iraqi state television on Wednesday said the Iraqi Army's 4th brigade expelled the militants from Beiji hours later.

Turkish government sources said militants have seized the Turkish consulate in Mosul, kidnapping 48 people, including the Turkish consul, staff members, guards and three children.

 See here for the BBC report.