Pope Francis lands in northern Iraq's Mosul

Sunday, 7 March 2021 11:33

By REUTERS

Pope Francis arrived in Mosul on Sunday to pray in the decimated northern Iraqi city that was once a stronghold of the IS terror group.

The 84-year-old pontiff flew by helicopter from nearby Erbil on the third day of his historic tour of Iraq.

Francis' trip is the first papal visit to Iraq, where he has preached coexistence and urged an end to violence in the name of religion.

He will pray at a church square decimated in 2017 during the fight to drive the IS out of Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city.

Iraqi priests and clergy prepared to welcome the pope and Iraqi and Vatican flags fluttered in the centre of Mosul, Reuters reporters said.

More from International News

Rescuers search for 140 people after Indonesia ferry hits bad weather

Indonesian rescuers were searching on Sunday for 140 people from a passenger ship that sank in the Java Sea after 103 others were evacuated, one of whom died, a search and rescue agency official said.
Philippine ferry fire victims may take months to identify, authorities say

Authorities in the Philippines said on Sunday it could take weeks or months to identify the victims of a ferry fire that killed 76 people, as forensic experts begin collecting and comparing DNA samples and investigators determine the cause.
Saudi Arabia shuts key oil pipeline after drone attack

Saudi Arabia shut its East-West oil pipeline on Friday after it was hit in a drone attack, disrupting a key route used to bypass shipping problems in the Strait of Hormuz.
BRICS members agree joint declaration at New Delhi summit

BRICS members agreed on a joint declaration on Saturday, expected to condemn unilateral aggression by any country without naming individual states, according to sources cited by Reuters.
Death toll in Philippine ferry fire rises to 76 as rescuers recover more remains

Philippine rescuers recovered 41 more charred remains from a ferry fire, authorities said on Saturday, raising the death toll to 76 and leaving 13 people unaccounted for, as forensic teams faced the daunting task of identifying the victims.

UAE condemns drone attack on Saudi oil pipeline
The UAE has strongly condemned the drone attack on Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline in the Riyadh and Medina regions.
AD Crown Prince, Iran President discuss regional issues in New Delhi
His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, met Dr Masoud Pezeshkian, President of Iran, on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, India.
UAE expresses solidarity with DR Congo after school fires
The United Arab Emirates expressed its solidarity with the Democratic Republic of the Congo following a fire at two schools in the city of Bukavu, which resulted in dozens of deaths and injuries.