02:57Efforts are underway in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul to rebuild churches and mosques destroyed by the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS; formerly ISIS/ISIL) during its occupation of the city. Footage shot on Thursday shows some of the destroyed buildings, as well as the ongoing reconstruction work.
According to local reports, up to 15 of Mosul's many churches and monasteries were destroyed by IS, who controlled the city for two years from June 2014 until Iraqi government forces recaptured it in July 2017.
However, Christian places of worship were not the only ones targeted, IS also destroyed the famous Great Mosque of al-Nuri, from which leader of IS Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had proclaimed the organisation a caliphate, as well as several other ancient mosques throughout the city.
"Everybody knows that Daesh did not exclude any mosque, or church, or people's homes, or markets from being bombed and demolished," mayor of Mosul Zuhair al-Araji said.
On the ongoing plans to rebuild the Old Town of Mosul, al-Araji said: "The UNESCO, in cooperation with the UAE and with French support, set up a sum of USD 500,400,000 with the aim of rebuilding this area, as well as the neighbouring houses."
Iraq: Reconstruction efforts aim to restore Mosul's Old Town to its former glory
Efforts are underway in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul to rebuild churches and mosques destroyed by the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS; formerly ISIS/ISIL) during its occupation of the city. Footage shot on Thursday shows some of the destroyed buildings, as well as the ongoing reconstruction work.
According to local reports, up to 15 of Mosul's many churches and monasteries were destroyed by IS, who controlled the city for two years from June 2014 until Iraqi government forces recaptured it in July 2017.
However, Christian places of worship were not the only ones targeted, IS also destroyed the famous Great Mosque of al-Nuri, from which leader of IS Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had proclaimed the organisation a caliphate, as well as several other ancient mosques throughout the city.
"Everybody knows that Daesh did not exclude any mosque, or church, or people's homes, or markets from being bombed and demolished," mayor of Mosul Zuhair al-Araji said.
On the ongoing plans to rebuild the Old Town of Mosul, al-Araji said: "The UNESCO, in cooperation with the UAE and with French support, set up a sum of USD 500,400,000 with the aim of rebuilding this area, as well as the neighbouring houses."
Efforts are underway in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul to rebuild churches and mosques destroyed by the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS; formerly ISIS/ISIL) during its occupation of the city. Footage shot on Thursday shows some of the destroyed buildings, as well as the ongoing reconstruction work.
According to local reports, up to 15 of Mosul's many churches and monasteries were destroyed by IS, who controlled the city for two years from June 2014 until Iraqi government forces recaptured it in July 2017.
However, Christian places of worship were not the only ones targeted, IS also destroyed the famous Great Mosque of al-Nuri, from which leader of IS Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had proclaimed the organisation a caliphate, as well as several other ancient mosques throughout the city.
"Everybody knows that Daesh did not exclude any mosque, or church, or people's homes, or markets from being bombed and demolished," mayor of Mosul Zuhair al-Araji said.
On the ongoing plans to rebuild the Old Town of Mosul, al-Araji said: "The UNESCO, in cooperation with the UAE and with French support, set up a sum of USD 500,400,000 with the aim of rebuilding this area, as well as the neighbouring houses."