Iraq’s Mosul, devastated city in need of reconstruction
Mosul, one of the largest cities in Iraq, is suffering the aftermath of nine months of military operations to end the control of the so-called Islamic State (IS). As the military action came to an end, it was obvious that the city has endured great damage, mainly in its western part, which represents the city’s ancient history.
Having been under IS’ siege for three years, Mosul has become a deserted city with its key location ‘the old city’ being in ruins, Iraqi MP Talib AlMeamari, who represents Mosul at the Council of Representatives of Iraq, said yesterday. There are over 300 schools in need of reconstruction, while the overall damage in the city is about 80 percent, he noted. Iraqi MPs are signing a petition to announce Mosul as a “disaster area,” he added.
Meanwhile, spokesman of Iraq’s Ministry of Planning Abduzzahra AlHindawi said the government has set a 10-year plan to reconstruct Mosul, with an estimated cost of $100 billion. His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah announced last Tuesday that Kuwait is willing to host an international conference to reconstruct liberated Iraqi cities before the end of 2017.
The city took damage in all its vital governmental bodies and buildings. Those include banks, markets, schools, universities, military headquarters and houses. Mosul’s electricity and water networks, as well as main roads were also damaged by about 90 percent.
Prior to the military operation to liberate Mosul, the city was home to over two million people. since the launch of the ‘Battle of Mosul,’ about 920,000 had fled, according to statistics published by Iraq’s Ministry of Displacement and Migration. —KUNA