Cornerstone laid down for rebuilding of iconic mosque
296 views · Published 21 December 2018 · 2:39 · Indexed 10 November 2026
Channel: AP Archive · 2018 · News & Politics
(16 Dec 2018) Iraqis laid the cornerstone on Sunday to rebuild Mosul's landmark al-Nuri Grand Mosque, which was blown up in the battle with Islamic State militants in 2017. Dignitaries from the European Union and the United Nations attended the ceremony in the mosque's courtyard, where Abdulateef al-Humayim, head of Iraq's Sunni endowments, led the proceedings on Sunday. The mosque and its iconic leaning minaret were built in the 12th century. It was from the mosque's pulpit that IS's self-styled caliph, Abu Bakar al-Baghdadi, declared the caliphate's establishment in 2014. Iraqi forces defeated the extremist group in the last of its urban strongholds last year, recapturing Mosul in a fierce battle that saw the al-Nuri mosque destroyed. The UAE donated 50.4 million US dollars to rebuild the mosque. Construction is expected to take five years. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/7eb5511a19222d440819693e42e8aeff
