Iraq: 5 large ISIL bombs hidden in al-Nuri mosque in Mosul | ISIL/ISIS News

The Iraqi authorities asked UNESCO to suspend all activities related to the reconstruction of the al-Nuri Mosque and to evacuate the entire complex until the devices are disarmed.

Five large bombs were discovered hidden in the walls of the historic Al-Nuri Mosque in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. These bombs are a remnant of the reign of the armed organization ISIL (ISIS) in the region.

The mosque, famous for its leaning 12th-century minaret, was destroyed by ISIS in 2017. As of 2020, it is the main focus of restoration efforts by the UN cultural agency UNESCO.

The UN agency said five large explosive devices designed to cause significant damage were found on Tuesday inside the southern wall of the Prayer Hall.

“These explosives were hidden in a specially rebuilt section of the wall,” UNESCO said in a statement on Saturday.

“Iraqi authorities were immediately notified, secured the area, and the situation is now completely under control. “One bomb has been defused and removed, and the remaining four are connected and will be safely disposed of in the coming days.”

The Iraqi authorities asked UNESCO to suspend all activities related to the reconstruction of the al-Nuri Mosque and to evacuate the entire complex until the devices are disarmed.

Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared a “caliphate” at the mosque a decade ago, on June 29, 2014, leading to its destruction when militants blew it up during the battle to liberate Mosul in 2017.

Mosul remains in ruins

The discovery of the bombs highlights the ongoing challenges of clearing Mosul of explosives and revitalizing its devastated urban areas.

International efforts, supported by the United Nations, are focusing on mine clearance and helping rebuild the city. Despite progress, much of Mosul’s old city remains in ruins, marked with minefield warning signs, underscoring the complexity of post-conflict reconstruction.

UNESCO aims to complete the complete reconstruction of the al-Nuri mosque by December, “finally removing the stigma of Daesh’s occupation,” said the statement, which used the Arabic acronym for ISIL.

Ten years after the armed group declared a caliphate across much of Iraq and Syria, ISIL no longer controls any territory, has lost many prominent leaders and remains largely out of the headlines.

Despite this, the group continues to recruit new members and claims responsibility for deadly attacks around the world, including deadly operations in Iran and Russia earlier this year that left multiple people dead.