The Telegraph published this video item, entitled “Pope Francis visits ancient church once occupied then torched by Islamic State” – below is their description.
Pope Francis prayed for the victims of war in battle-scarred Mosul on the third day of his historic Iraq visit on Sunday, before holding mass for thousands of Christians in the capital of the Kurdistan Region.
The 84-year-old Pontiff started the day by travelling via helicopter from Erbil, Kurdistan to Mosul, Iraq’s second city, which was under Islamic State occupation less than four years ago.
Security across Mosul was extremely tight ahead of his arrival, with the Pope riding in a black armoured sedan to the historic Old City, which was largely destroyed in the battle to drive out IS.
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About This Source - The Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph, known online as The Telegraph, is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was founded by Arthur B. Sleigh in 1855 as Daily Telegraph & Courier.
Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in Western Asia. The capital and largest city is Baghdad. Iraq is home to diverse ethnic groups including Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen, Assyrians, Yazidis, Shabakis, Armenians, Mandaeans, Circassians, Sabians and Kawliya. Around 99% of the country’s 38 million citizens are Muslims, with small minorities of Christians, Yarsans, Yezidis and Mandeans also present. The official languages of Iraq are Arabic and Kurdish.
Iraq has a coastline measuring 58 km (36 miles) on the northern Persian Gulf and encompasses the Mesopotamian Alluvial Plain, the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range and the eastern part of the Syrian Desert. Two major rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates, run south through Iraq and into the Shatt al-Arab near the Persian Gulf. These rivers provide Iraq with significant amounts of fertile land. The region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, historically known as Mesopotamia, is often referred to as the cradle of civilisation.
Iraq is a federal parliamentary republic consisting of 19 governorates, four of which make up the autonomous Kurdistan Region. Disputes over the sovereignty of Kurdistan Region continue.
Iraq is a founding member of the UN as well as of the Arab League, OIC, Non-Aligned Movement and the IMF.