Mosul mosque where Islamic State took world stage lies in rubble

[rooster59]

Mosul mosque where Islamic State took world stage lies in rubble

By Stephen Kalin

 

The ruined Grand al-Nuri Mosque is seen after it was retaken by the Iraqi forces from the Islamic State militants at the Old City in Mosul, Iraq, June 30, 2017. REUTERS/Alaa Al-Marjani

 

MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - The leaning minaret of Mosul's Grand al-Nuri Mosque survived conquests by the Mongols and the Ottomans, neglect under Saddam Hussein, and air raids during the Iran-Iraq War and the U.S. invasion in 2003.

 

But after three years of Islamic State rule, it is now little more than a pile of stones at the centre of a shattered city.

 

By all accounts except their own, the jihadists rigged the mosque and its 850-year-old tower with explosives and blew them up last week as advancing Iraqi forces came within steps of the complex.

 

A Reuters visit to the site on Friday, a day after Iraq's military recaptured it, confirmed the extent of destruction: the 45-metre (148 ft) al-Hadba minaret had been reduced to a stump while the mint green dome was the only part of the prayer hall still standing.

 

Fighting raged on a few blocks away. Bullets whizzed past the main gate, which is largely intact, and a mortar fell on an adjacent building.

 

Below the mosque's dome in July 2014, Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi delivered a Friday sermon presenting himself at the head of a modern-day caliphate spanning swathes of territory which the al Qaeda offshoot group had just seized in Iraq and neighbouring Syria.

 

"I am your leader, though I am not the best of you," he said, wearing the black turban and robes denoting a claim to descend from the Prophet Mohammad.

 

Within months, Islamic State was carrying out and inspiring militant attacks in places as far abreast as Paris, London and California. An international military coalition led by the United States quickly coalesced to confront the group.

 

Three years on, the inscribed pulpit where he spoke lies in ruins. The mosque grounds are covered in stone and concrete, and a segment of a secondary minaret is one of the only discernable objects in the rubble. The risk of unexploded ordnance or mines prevented a thorough inspection of the site's interior.

 

Baghdadi's appearance at the Nuri mosque was the first time he revealed himself to the world, and the footage broadcast then is to this day the only video recording of him as "caliph".

 

He long ago left the fighting in Mosul and Syria's Raqqa to local commanders and is believed to be hiding in the border area between the two countries, according to U.S. and Iraqi military sources. He has frequently been reported killed, including last month by Russia and Iran.

 

After his speech in 2014, Baghdadi descended from the pulpit to lead his followers in worship, standing in a prayer niche which is now just barely recognizable amid the wreckage.

 

CRUMBLING CALIPHATE

 

Baghdadi's project, to revive the Islamic caliphate which mostly disappeared with the fall of the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century, is also crumbling.

 

The group still rules over an area which by one estimate is equivalent to the size of Belgium. But experts say its territorial losses undermine its legitimacy and attractiveness to potential recruits who once flocked from across the world in the tens of thousands.

 

The Nuri mosque was named after Nuruddin al-Zanki, a noble who fought the early crusaders from a fiefdom that covered territory in modern-day Turkey, Syria and Iraq. It was built in 1172-73, shortly before his death, and housed an Islamic school.

 

By the time renowned medieval traveller and scholar Ibn Battuta visited two centuries later, the minaret was leaning. The tilt gave the landmark its popular name: the hunchback.

 

The mosque's military and religious history embodied the spirit of Mosul, a diverse but predominately Sunni Muslim city which supplied Iraq's armed forces with officers for much of the 20th century.

 

The Hadba minaret, whose tilt begs comparisons to Italy's Tower of Pisa, was built with seven bands of decorative brickwork in complex geometric patterns also found in Persia and Central Asia.

 

Only slivers of that design are now visible among the rubble. The eight-month-old U.S.-backed battle for Mosul has also destroyed homes and basic infrastructure across the city and displaced nearly a million residents.

 

Civilians, mostly women and children, rushed past the demolished mosque as they crossed the frontline towards Iraqi forces. They were thirsty and tired, and some were injured.

 

Across the street, among the detritus of war, laid the partial remains of an Islamic State fighter dressed in red clothing.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-07-02

[Grouse]

Terrible to see so much damage to that car!

[phantomfiddler]

Such senseless desecration :)

[Searat7]

What I would like to know is who will pay to rebuild the war torn countries once the fighting stops and the wars end. The UN wil undoubtedly arrange donor conferences but should the western countries increase budget deficits (already high in many countries including USA) to fund this effort ?

[Andaman Al]

3 minutes ago, Searat7 said:

What I would like to know is who will pay to rebuild the war torn countries once the fighting stops and the wars end. The UN wil undoubtedly arrange donor conferences but should the western countries increase budget deficits (already high in many countries including USA) to fund this effort ?

Not sure why you are worrying about 'rebuilding', it has never seriously been considered by the US and Brits unless there was a dollar in it for them. I think the plan is just bomb them all back to the stone age and it will slow them down. What they got wrong was that the displacement of millions of people now legitimises the rapid resettlement of millions of Muslims in non Muslim countries, which in itself has pushed forward the Muslim "take over' of those countries by at least 50 years. Many of the countries now being populated by the Muslims will find that in 25-35 years Muslim populations in their European countries will be the Majority. Then the trouble really starts. It suits the Saudi Wahhabi  agenda to have the middle east laid waste so that Islam can spread across the world rapidly as is the real intent. It is happening, and the west thinks it is winning the war on terror! We are simply inviting the war into our own back yards. Big Mistake!

[janclaes47]

2 hours ago, Grouse said:

Marshall plan needed now. On condition of secular states (3 of them - where's that damn pencil when I need it?)

I implemented my own Marshall plan, I said goodbye to Europe and move to Thailand.

[janclaes47]

13 minutes ago, Andaman Al said:

Not sure why you are worrying about 'rebuilding', it has never seriously been considered by the US and Brits unless there was a dollar in it for them. I think the plan is just bomb them all back to the stone age and it will slow them down. What they got wrong was that the displacement of millions of people now legitimises the rapid resettlement of millions of Muslims in non Muslim countries, which in itself has pushed forward the Muslim "take over' of those countries by at least 50 years. Many of the countries now being populated by the Muslims will find that in 25-35 years Muslim populations in their European countries will be the Majority. Then the trouble really starts. It suits the Saudi Wahhabi  agenda to have the middle east laid waste so that Islam can spread across the world rapidly as is the real intent. It is happening, and the west thinks it is winning the war on terror! We are simply inviting the war into our own back yards. Big Mistake!

 

For once in a lifetime I agree with most of your post, though I don't think that Haliburton and the Carlyle group gonna pass on the huge profits that can be made by rebuilding the middle east.

 

[AhFarangJa]

45 minutes ago, Andaman Al said:

Not sure why you are worrying about 'rebuilding', it has never seriously been considered by the US and Brits unless there was a dollar in it for them. I think the plan is just bomb them all back to the stone age and it will slow them down. What they got wrong was that the displacement of millions of people now legitimises the rapid resettlement of millions of Muslims in non Muslim countries, which in itself has pushed forward the Muslim "take over' of those countries by at least 50 years. Many of the countries now being populated by the Muslims will find that in 25-35 years Muslim populations in their European countries will be the Majority. Then the trouble really starts. It suits the Saudi Wahhabi  agenda to have the middle east laid waste so that Islam can spread across the world rapidly as is the real intent. It is happening, and the west thinks it is winning the war on terror! We are simply inviting the war into our own back yards. Big Mistake!

Sir,

I praise you.......Despite any negative bleeding heart liberal posts to come, you have hit the nail squarely on the head......

[AhFarangJa]

33 minutes ago, janclaes47 said:

 

For once in a lifetime I agree with most of your post, though I don't think that Haliburton and the Carlyle group gonna pass on the huge profits that can be made by rebuilding the middle east.

 

Sadly I think you are correct.....

[Scott]

5 hours ago, janclaes47 said:

 

For once in a lifetime I agree with most of your post, though I don't think that Haliburton and the Carlyle group gonna pass on the huge profits that can be made by rebuilding the middle east.

 

Reconstruction is not done by companies such as Haliburton or Carlyle.   It is done by NGO's from various countries with the financial assistance of the various donor countries.   The labor is supplied by the people whose home is being replaced.  

 

Since Iraq is financially able to rebuild, I suspect there will be a lot less aid given than in the past.   Some technical assistance may be required to see that reconstruction happens quickly.  

[simple1]

7 hours ago, Andaman Al said:

<SNIP> Many of the countries now being populated by the Muslims will find that in 25-35 years Muslim populations in their European countries will be the Majority. 

So far as I know not one study by a credible research company or government stats supports your opinion. I don't believe you are a member, of the 'ugly right', but the mime you post is factually unsupported right of centre propaganda. 

Edited July 2, 2017 by simple1

[DeadBite]

3 hours ago, simple1 said:

So far as I know not one study by a credible research company or government stats supports your opinion. I don't believe you are a member, of the 'ugly right', but the mime you post is factually unsupported right of centre propaganda. 

You mean the governments that invite them and the credible companies like the ones that do the polls before elections?

What studies do we need to prove that a group that lives separately and produces more offspring will inevitably try to take control as soon as it feels it has the power to do so?

When logic, history, and current events "speak" so clearly, we should be taking action not making studies.

Your post is a meme/ propaganda too, and if you are no Muslim you should ask yourself why are you so welcoming to a group that sees you as the Unbeliever/Khaffir and clearly does not reciprocate your welcoming.

[bert bloggs]

13 hours ago, Searat7 said:

What I would like to know is who will pay to rebuild the war torn countries once the fighting stops and the wars end. The UN wil undoubtedly arrange donor conferences but should the western countries increase budget deficits (already high in many countries including USA) to fund this effort ?

NO NO NO NO

[bert bloggs]

13 hours ago, Andaman Al said:

Not sure why you are worrying about 'rebuilding', it has never seriously been considered by the US and Brits unless there was a dollar in it for them. I think the plan is just bomb them all back to the stone age and it will slow them down. What they got wrong was that the displacement of millions of people now legitimises the rapid resettlement of millions of Muslims in non Muslim countries, which in itself has pushed forward the Muslim "take over' of those countries by at least 50 years. Many of the countries now being populated by the Muslims will find that in 25-35 years Muslim populations in their European countries will be the Majority. Then the trouble really starts. It suits the Saudi Wahhabi  agenda to have the middle east laid waste so that Islam can spread across the world rapidly as is the real intent. It is happening, and the west thinks it is winning the war on terror! We are simply inviting the war into our own back yards. Big Mistake!

The only thing is ,we did not bomb them back to the stone age ,they never left it . 

[Andaman Al]

12 minutes ago, bert bloggs said:

The only thing is ,we did not bomb them back to the stone age ,they never left it . 

Nah! We gave them a pretty good helping hand.

 

[simple1]

1 hour ago, DeadBite said:

You mean the governments that invite them and the credible companies like the ones that do the polls before elections?

What studies do we need to prove that a group that lives separately and produces more offspring will inevitably try to take control as soon as it feels it has the power to do so?

When logic, history, and current events "speak" so clearly, we should be taking action not making studies.

Your post is a meme/ propaganda too, and if you are no Muslim you should ask yourself why are you so welcoming to a group that sees you as the Unbeliever/Khaffir and clearly does not reciprocate your welcoming.

Well done, you've articulated the usual far right nonsense. Laughable rubbish, feed by whatever fantasy realm you and others inhabit. 

[ddavidovsky]

Another vacuous article from Reuters. No light shed on this at all. The reporter obviously didn't even speak to anyone there. What we want is eye witness accounts of what happened, not a banal history lesson.

[ilostmypassword]

16 hours ago, Scott said:

Reconstruction is not done by companies such as Haliburton or Carlyle.   It is done by NGO's from various countries with the financial assistance of the various donor countries.   The labor is supplied by the people whose home is being replaced.  

 

Since Iraq is financially able to rebuild, I suspect there will be a lot less aid given than in the past.   Some technical assistance may be required to see that reconstruction happens quickly.  

Well, it ought to be financially able to rebuild. But even before Isis, in the relatively peaceful interregnum between the American War and the Isis War, not much building happened except insofar as regards new mansions for the well connected.  Infrastructure is still a disaster.

[Morch]

1 hour ago, ddavidovsky said:

Another vacuous article from Reuters. No light shed on this at all. The reporter obviously didn't even speak to anyone there. What we want is eye witness accounts of what happened, not a banal history lesson.

 

Another vacuous post from a poster that already declared (based no nothing much) the party responsible for the destruction of the mosque. Considering this, no "light" will ever be enough. The reporter obviously did not report anything that supports aforementioned nonsense, hence claims like "didn't even speak to anyone there". How the poster would know that? Good question. 

[metisdead]

Off topic posts and replies have been removed. 

[ddavidovsky]

2 hours ago, Morch said:

 

Another vacuous post from a poster that already declared (based no nothing much) the party responsible for the destruction of the mosque. Considering this, no "light" will ever be enough. The reporter obviously did not report anything that supports aforementioned nonsense, hence claims like "didn't even speak to anyone there". How the poster would know that? Good question. 

Because there was not a single quote used in the article from anyone there. It was a comment on the quality of the journalism as I've seen a number of feeble Reuters articles lately.

 

Not sure what the point of your post was. Stalking and baiting apparently.

[Morch]

7 minutes ago, ddavidovsky said:

Because there was not a single quote used in the article from anyone there. It was a comment on the quality of the journalism as I've seen a number of feeble Reuters articles lately.

 

Not sure what the point of your post was. Stalking and baiting apparently.

There is no requirement for a quote to appear on each report. There is still fighting going on in the vicinity, conducting interviews may or may not be possible. Comments on the supposed quality of the OP journalism are alright, comments on the quality of the commentary in your post isn't. Gotcha.

[ilostmypassword]

3 minutes ago, Morch said:

There is no requirement for a quote to appear on each report. There is still fighting going on in the vicinity, conducting interviews may or may not be possible. Comments on the supposed quality of the OP journalism are alright, comments on the quality of the commentary in your post isn't. Gotcha.

He never said commenting on the quality of his posts isn't alright. He just disagreed with a particular point you were making. There's a difference. Gotcha.

[Morch]

5 minutes ago, ilostmypassword said:

He never said commenting on the quality of his posts isn't alright. He just disagreed with a particular point you were making. There's a difference. Gotcha.

 

Read the last line of his post, and if you're into jumping in, may look up the previous topic referred to.

[bert bloggs]

On 7/3/2017 at 11:28 AM, simple1 said:

Well done, you've articulated the usual far right nonsense. Laughable rubbish, feed by whatever fantasy realm you and others inhabit. 

And thats what the left think and the fantasy realm they live in ,where we can all join hands and sing coombyah 

Edited July 11, 2017 by bert bloggs

[ilostmypassword]

On 7/3/2017 at 9:49 AM, DeadBite said:

You mean the governments that invite them and the credible companies like the ones that do the polls before elections?

What studies do we need to prove that a group that lives separately and produces more offspring will inevitably try to take control as soon as it feels it has the power to do so?

When logic, history, and current events "speak" so clearly, we should be taking action not making studies.

Your post is a meme/ propaganda too, and if you are no Muslim you should ask yourself why are you so welcoming to a group that sees you as the Unbeliever/Khaffir and clearly does not reciprocate your welcoming.

To start with, you might consider looking up what demographers have to say about the issue. You know, the people who study the growth and shrinkage of various populations. People who use data and math.  Something tells me you're not too familiar them.

[simple1]

26 minutes ago, bert bloggs said:

And thats what the left think and the fantasy realm they live in ,where we can all join hands and sing coombyah 

Actually personally I'm orientated to centre right politics and voted so in the last election in my home country.. Usual laughable clap-trap assumptions by the poisonous ideologues from the 'right of centre'.