AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The historic al-Nuri Mosque and its leaning minaret in Mosul’s Old City were officially reopened on Monday, eight years after being destroyed by ISIS. The ceremony was attended by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.
The mosque, nearly 850 years old, was the site where ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared the group’s so-called “caliphate” in 2014. Three years later, during ISIS’s retreat in the battle for Mosul, militants rigged the site with explosives and demolished it.
Reconstruction of the mosque and its minaret was carried out through a partnership between UNESCO, Iraq’s cultural heritage authorities, and Sunni religious bodies. Traditional materials and fragments from the original rubble were used to restore the landmark.
In his remarks at the reopening, al-Sudani said the rebuilding of this historic symbol serves as a reminder of “the heroism of Iraqis and their resistance against attempts to distort the truth.” He emphasized that culture and heritage should be tools for sustainable development and a foundation for youth innovation.
As part of the same project, several of Mosul’s damaged churches were also restored. The prime minister noted that Mosul reflects Iraq’s diversity, stressing that all communities, including Christians, form an integral part of the city’s identity.
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