Landmark mosque in Iraq's Mosul to be rebuilt

Published April 23, 2018

The United Nations' cultural agency, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq have signed an agreement to finance the reconstruction of a landmark mosque in Mosul that was blown up last year by the Islamic State group.

UNESCO announced Monday that the UAE will provide $50.4 million to finance the project, focusing on the restoration of the Al-Nouri Mosque, built in the 12th century and once famous for its leaning minaret.

UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said "this is a historic partnership, the largest and unprecedented cooperation to rebuild cultural heritage in Iraq ever."

IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared an Islamic caliphate from the al-Nouri mosque in the summer of 2014. The extremists blew it up in June 2017 as Iraqi forces closed in.

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