(MENAFN- The Peninsula) MOSUL, Iraq: Terrorist group Islamic State has blown up the iconic al-Nuri Mosque in Mosul, the Iraqi army said on Wednesday.
In a statement, Lt. Gen. Abdulemir Yarullah of Operations Command in Mosul said: 'The terrorist organization IS blew up Mosul's Grand al-Nuri Mosque and its minarets while our forces were 50 meters away.
The terrorist group announced its so-called 'caliphate at the historic mosque in 2014.
On Sunday, Iraqi forces began fresh operations aimed at retaking Mosul's Old City, a densely populated maze of narrow alleys where fighting is usually done house to house.
Backed by air cover provided by a U.S.-led coalition, the Iraqi military is currently engaged in a months-long campaign to recapture Mosul, IS's last stronghold in northern Iraq.
MENAFN2206201700630000ID1095572206
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.