NBC's Richard Engel, reporting from Iraq, described scenes of upheaval and religious turmoil in Iraq as parts of the country rally against ISIS, and the radicals turn their focus to "key economic targets, roads, oil, the airport."
The militants continue to make stunning gains, and have attacked Iraq's largest oil refinery. According to Engel, "Officials say the extremists are not strong enough to hold the facility but could close it by firing rockets and mortars."
"Kurdish troops are battling to keep militants away from Iraq's northern oil fields in Kirkuk," Engel says, and officials fear they may next attack the Baghdad airport.
"Iraqis are enlisting, thousands a day, to fight the extremists, who are radical Sunnis," Engel reports. In the video, Engel approaches a group of Iraqis and asks them why they want to fight: "They quickly started to dance. They are shouting what are Shiite religious songs. They are fighting for Iraq, but also for their faith. As they danced and cheered for Shiite ayatollahs and Shiite martyrs from 1,000 years ago, it was clear the battle lines in Iraq are once again drawn in faith."
Meanwhile, in neighboring Shiite-majority country Iran, "Today the president said volunteers there are also signing up to come fight here in Iraq. The Iranian president said that the country will not hesitate to defend Shiite holy sites."