Another Iraqi city falls to militants

BAGHDAD (AP) — The mayor and residents of a northern Iraqi town close to the Syrian border say Sunni militants have captured the town of Tal Afar.

Mayor Abdulal Abdoul told The Associated Press that his town, located 420 kilometers (260 miles) northwest of Baghdad, was taken just before dawn on Monday.

The town has a population of some 200,000 people, mostly ethnic Shiite and Sunni Turkomen.

Residents in the town reached by phone confirmed its capture by militants. They spoke on condition of anonymity, fearing for their safety.

The fall of Tal Afar comes a week after militants of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant captured Iraq's second-largest city, Mosul, and Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit in a lightening offensive.

UN chief says Iraq reports are 'deeply disturbing'

GENEVA (AP) — The U.N. chief says the reports of Islamic militants massacring scores of captured Iraqi soldiers after overrunning towns and cities are "deeply disturbing" and those responsible for it must be brought to justice.

 warned Monday against sectarian rhetoric that could inflame the conflict and carry grave implications for the entire region.

He said he welcomed the statement on the need for Iraqi unity made by Grand Ayatollah Sayed Ali Al-Sistani, who he said "represents a deeply influential voice of wisdom and reason."

The Islamic militants who overran cities and towns in Iraq last week have posted graphic photos online that appear to show their gunmen massacring scores of captured Iraqi soldiers.

US embassy in Baghdad to send some personnel out

WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department is reinforcing security at the U.S. Embassy in Iraq's capital and moving some personnel out of town.

State Department Spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement that much of the embassy staff will stay in place. But others are being temporarily moved to more stable places in Iraq and to Jordan. She did not say the number of people affected.

The embassy has about 5,000 personnel.