(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) By Mukhlis Khishnaw
IRBIL, Aug 6 (KUNA) -- A Kuwaiti media delegation, representing chief editors of a number of Kuwait newspapers and Kuwait Journalists Association (KJA), visited the Iraqi city of Mosul after its recent liberation from the grips of the so-called Islamic State (IS).
"No words can describe what was seen in Mosul, except for 'tragedy' on all levels," said Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) Deputy Director General for Editorial Affairs and Editor-In-Chief Saad Al-Ali.
The delegation is among the first Gulf and Arab media groups to visit the city after liberation, and was briefed with the destruction in Mosul, especially the 'Old City' and archaeological sites.
Despite the victory over terrorism, Mosul has paid much for it and there needs time to rebuild, he said.
"We congratulate the Iraqi people on the victory against terrorism on the one hand, and on the other, we regret what we saw," Al-Ali said.
The reconstruction process needs determination and hard work for decades as people of Mosul need to be rehabilitated psychologically and socially due to dispersion and destruction, he added.
The delegation's visit reflects the professionalism of Kuwaiti media, underlined Al-Ali, pointing out that it was an opportunity for those newspapers to deliver their views on the city to their readers, especially before the donor conference for the reconstruction of Iraq, which was announced by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
For his part, KJA's Trustee Adnan Al-Rashed told KUNA, "What we saw today in Mosul is sad and joyful at the same time, as it is a victory and the beginning of IS' end." In a similar statement, Editor-In-Chief of Kuwaiti daily Al-Anbaa urged the people of Mosul to be patient, calling on them to take part in the reconstruction process.
Meanwhile, Editor-In-Chief of Kuwait Times Abdurrahman Al-Ulayaan voiced regret over the destruction in the city, hoping that life would return to the historic city after years of diaspora.
The effects of war and destruction are visible on most of Mosul's houses rippled with bullet holes, he said, adding the situation is tragic, especially in the Old City.
He added that the residents of Mosul are currently working to restore life to their city as soon as possible, stressing at the same time the need to help them, "materially and psychologically." Iraqi forces have been able to restore the city after months of fierce fighting that led to the displacement of more than one million Iraqis to areas outside the control of the extreme group.
Officials said the cost of reconstruction of the city might reach USD 100 billion.
Iraq announced on July 10 the liberation of the entire city of Mosul, in a battle began on October 17 last year, where on late January 2017; Iraqi forces took the eastern part after 100 days of fighting and then attacked the western part the following month. (end) sbr.ss
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