Pope to go to Iraq despite rocket attack

VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis said yesterday he still expected to make his historic visit to Iraq in two days’ time, after a rocket attack on a military base hosting United States-led troops.

“The day after tomorrow, God willing, I will go to Iraq for a threeday pilgrimage. For a long time I have wanted to meet these people who have suffered so much,” the 84-year-old Francis said in his weekly Wednesday address.

The Argentine pontiff asked for prayers for the trip, the first-ever by a pope to Iraq, through which he hopes to encourage the dwindling Christian community to remain in their ancient homeland.

He added: “The Iraqi people are waiting for us, they were waiting for Saint John Paul II, who was forbidden to go. One cannot disappoint a people for the second time. Let us pray that this journey will be successful.”

At least 10 rockets slammed into a military base yesterday, security sources said, leaving one civilian contractor dead.

Outrage rippled through the country yesterday as funerals were held for three female media workers gunned down in the eastern city here, the latest assassinations to rack the war-weary country. The three women were shot and killed in two separate attacks after they left the Enikass TV station where they worked on Tuesday. An Islamic State affiliate later claimed responsibility for the murders, saying its gunmen carried out the killings of what it called “journalists working for one of the media stations loyal to the apostate Afghan government.”