There have been intense overnight meetings in Ankara to secure the release of the 80 Turkish nationals taken during the fall of the city of Mosul in Iraq to militant Islamist forces.

NATO ambassadors in Brussels also held an emergency meeting where Turkey briefed its allies on the situation.

Mosul is reportedly in the hands of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria forces.

“Any harm to our citizens and staff would be met with the harshest retaliation. Nobody should doubt Turkey’s strength and the measures that we would take to protect our citizens,” said Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

ISIS insists the group, which includes special forces soldiers, the Consul, and women and children are in good health and are not hostages. They were being held for their safety, and would be released after questioning.

The Iraqi government has yet to announce a military response to the fall of its second-largest city, where reportedly 800 fighters scared away a defending force of 30,000 troops.