Hidden seven years ago by the Islamic State (IS) group, five bombs were discovered in a wall of the al-Nouri mosque, a jewel of Iraq’s heritage currently being restored in the metropolis of Mosul, said the ‘Unesco.
“It is truly a massive device, designed to completely bring down the mosque,” the UN agency said on Friday evening.
“No risk to the population”
But “the situation is completely under control, there is no risk to the population in the surrounding area, and the explosive devices should be dismantled in the coming days.”
The mosque and its 12th century minarete century – nicknamed by the locals “the hunchback” (Al-Hadba) because it is slightly leaning – had been destroyed in June 2017. The Iraqi army, on the verge of retaking all of Mosul, had accused ISIS of having placed explosives in this jewel of the old city.
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Renovation at a standstill
The discovery of the “five unexploded devices” took place on Tuesday, “inside the southern wall of the prayer room,” said Unesco.
“One has been defused, but the other four are interconnected and have not yet been defused at this stage,” the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization said.
As a safety measure, the renovation project was suspended until the bombs were neutralized.
