In a significant discovery, the United Nations uncovered five bombs embedded in the walls of Mosul’s historic Al-Nuri mosque, remnants of the Islamic State’s occupation. This significant find was made while conducting a restoration project of the historic site, which, along with its adjacent leaning minaret known as Al-Hadba or the “hunchback,” dates back to the 12th century. The mosque and minaret were destroyed during the fierce battle to reclaim Mosul from IS.
The Iraqi army has accused IS, which occupied Mosul for three years, of planting these explosives and subsequently demolishing the site. UNESCO, the UN cultural agency, has been leading the restoration project, aiming to revive the architectural heritage of a city left in ruins after the battle to retake it in 2017.
On Tuesday, a UNESCO team discovered five “large-scale explosive devices, designed to trigger a massive destruction of the site,” embedded in the southern wall of the mosque’s prayer hall, according to a representative for the agency. The Iraqi armed forces quickly secured the area, ensuring that the situation was now fully under control.
While one of the bombs has been removed, four others remain interconnected and are expected to be cleared in the coming days. UNESCO noted that these explosives were cleverly hidden within a specially rebuilt wall, explaining why they eluded detection during the initial site clearance by Iraqi forces in 2020.
Iraqi General Tahseen al-Khafaji, spokesperson for the Joint Operations Command, confirmed the discovery of these explosive devices planted by IS jihadists in Al-Nuri mosque. It was from this very mosque that Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, then-leader of IS, declared the establishment of the group’s so-called “caliphate” in July 2014. During their reign, the jihadists controlled vast territories in Iraq and Syria, ruling with extreme brutality.
Iraqi forces, supported by a US-led coalition, successfully expelled IS from Mosul in 2017.
Bottom Line:
The discovery of these bombs highlights the lingering dangers left behind by IS and underscores the importance of ongoing restoration and security efforts in Mosul. The continued work by UNESCO and Iraqi forces is crucial to preserving Iraq’s rich cultural heritage and ensuring the safety of its people.
