Macron visits Mosul destroyed by Daesh violence
Iraqi priest calls on French president to help in reconstruction of airport
French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday visited Iraq’s northern city of Mosul, which suffered widespread destruction during the war to defeat Daesh in 2017.
He vowed to fight alongside regional governments against terrorism.
Macron said Daesh carried out deadly attacks throughout the world from its self-declared caliphate in parts of Syria and Iraq.
He said Daesh did not differentiate between people’s religion and nationality when it came to killing, noting that the extremists killed many Muslims.
“We will do whatever we can, shoulder to shoulder, with the governments of the region and with the Iraqi government to fight against this terrorism,” Macron said in English following a visit to an iconic mosque that was destroyed by the extremists.
“We will be present alongside with sovereign governments to restore peace.”
Macron said France will help in rebuilding mutual respect as well as monuments, churches, schools and mosques and most importantly “economic opportunity.”
Despite the defeat of Daesh on the battlefield in Iraq and Syria, the group’s sleeper cells still carry out deadly attacks in both countries and an affiliate of the group claimed Thursday’s attacks at Kabul’s airport in Afghanistan that killed scores.
Macron began his visit to Mosul by touring the Our Lady of the Hour Church, a Catholic church that was badly damaged during the rule of Daesh that lasted from 2014 until the extremists’ defeat three years later.
Iraqi children dressed in white and waving Iraqi and French flags sang upon Macron’s arrival.
It was the same church where Pope Francis led a special prayer during a visit to Iraq in March. During the trip, the pontiff urged Iraq’s Christians to forgive the injustices against them by extremists and to rebuild as he visited the wrecked shells of churches.
Macron moved around the church — whose walls are still riddled with bullets — amid tight security as a priest accompanying him gave him details about the church built in the 19th century.
The French president then went up to the roof overlooking parts of Mosul accompanied by Iraqi officials.
“We hope that France will open a consulate in Mosul,” Iraqi priest
Raed Adel told Macron inside the church. He also called on the president to help in the reconstruction of Mosul’s airport.
Macron left the church in the early afternoon and headed to Mosul’s landmark Al-Nuri Mosque, which was blown up in the battle with Daesh militants in 2017 and is being rebuilt.
The mosque, also known as The Great Mosque of Al-Nuri, and its iconic leaning minaret were built in the 12th century. It was from the mosque’s pulpit that IS’s self-styled caliph, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, declared the caliphate’s establishment in 2014.
Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, became Daesh’s bureaucratic and financial backbone. It took a ferocious nine-month battle to finally free the city in July 2017.
Between 9,000 and 11,000 civilians were killed, according to an Associated Press investigation at the time, and the war left widespread destruction.
We will do whatever we can, shoulder to shoulder, with the governments of the region and with the Iraqi government to fight against this terrorism. Emmanuel Macron
French president