United Nations:
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is "gravely concerned" at the situation in Iraq's second-largest city, Mosul, which has been largely overrun by al-Qaida-inspired militants and is urging all political leaders to unite against the threats facing the country.
Ban strongly condemned recent terrorist attacks in Anbar, Baghdad, Diyala, Ninewa and Salah al-Din provinces that have killed and wounded scores of civilians, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Tuesday.
The U.N. chief stressed that the threats against Iraq "can only be addressed on the basis of the constitution and within the democratic political process," Dujarric said.
Ban encouraged the Iraqi government and the Kurdish regional government to cooperate in restoring security to Ninewa province and encouraged all local tribal, political and religious leaders to participate in a reconciliation conference in Anbar, Dujarric said.