Pope Francis' prayers in Mosul's church square evoke powerful memories in a city scarred by war

Pope Francis' visit on Sunday to the northern city of Mosul, where he prayed for war victims amid the ruins of four churches, has revived bitter memories for Yassir Goyani, recalling the darkest days of ISIS.

The area is located in the heart of Mosul’s Old City known locally as Hosh Al Bieaa, or the Church Square, where four churches representing different denominations stood for centuries, symbolic of Iraq’s once-flourishing Christian community.

When ISIS overran the city from mid-2014 to late 2017, the complex served as the headquarters of the group’s most feared Diwan Al Hisba, or Morality Police, including a jail and court.

The militants, mainly in Afghani-style clothing, used to roam the streets to make sure the population enacted the group’s laws and to punish violators. The force also contained women, to help arrest and punish female offenders.

Some violations included smoking and selling cigarettes, wearing western-style clothing and keeping stores open during prayer time.

Foreign fighters

It was some time in early 2015 when Muslim Mosul resident Mr Goyani went on a high risk journey to help family friends.

His then 17-year-old friend was put in prison, along with his 10-year-old brother when their father, who was an official at the electoral commission, fled an ISIS raid.

"Their mother and sister were afraid to visit them so I did the mission instead and took clothing and food for them," Mr Goyani, 27, told The National.

A delegation from Unesco inspects the destruction at the Great Mosque of Al Nuri in the Old City area on July 10. EPA

Unesco inspectsors at the Al Nuri Mosque. The UAE is donating Dh185m to help fund the five-year reconstruction project. EPA

Noura Al Kaabi described the project of rebuilding of Mosul as “dear to my heart”. EPA

“We need to talk to the spirit of the town of Mosul, the people of Mosul," Ms Al Kaabi said. EPA

Noura Al Kaabi said the reconstruction project needs to engage with the youth of Mosul. EPA

Iraqis cross the old bridge at the Old city area, on the west side of Mosul city. EPA

“I still remember an angry militant with a long beard, I think he was from North Africa —maybe from Tunisia or Algeria from his accent — who kept asking me questions about my friends and their father,” he added.

After entering the complex, he saw a militant lashing a man in his 30s in the church yard for smoking, as an elderly woman begged a militant to see her son, and another militant pushed a man into the jail.

In one corner, books were piled up, among them works written by moderate Muslim clerics and writers.

Pope prays for ISIS victims at ruins of churches in Mosul - in pictures

Mosul’s Church square decorated with two symbolic crosses to welcome Pope Francis

Windows were blocked up with thick steel plates, while doors were fortified with new latches and locks.

Nearly two weeks later, the two brothers were released.

“Those are bitter memories I don’t want to remember, but hard to erase,” he said.

More than three years after declaring ISIS defeated, large parts of Mosul — mainly the Old City —still lie largely in ruins, due to lack of funding, chronic mismanagement, corruption and political infighting.

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Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.

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Plan to boost public schools

A major shake-up of government-run schools was rolled out across the country in 2017. Known as the Emirati School Model, it placed more emphasis on maths and science while also adding practical skills to the curriculum.

It was accompanied by the promise of a Dh5 billion investment, over six years, to pay for state-of-the-art infrastructure improvements.

Aspects of the school model will be extended to international private schools, the education minister has previously suggested.

Recent developments have also included the introduction of moral education - which public and private schools both must teach - along with reform of the exams system and tougher teacher licensing requirements.