French President Emmanuel Macron, on Sunday, visited the northern Iraq city of Mosul, a former ISIS stronghold.
Macron’s visit to Mosul comes just a day after he vowed to keep French troops in Iraq for fight against terrorism and the impact of the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan as the US withdraws.
“No matter what choices the Americans make, we will maintain our presence in Iraq to fight against terrorism,” the French President had said on Saturday.
On Sunday, during his visit to Mosul, French President Emmanuel Macron visited the Our Lady of the Hour Church in the heart of the city.
The Our Lady of the Hour Church in Mosul is currently under reconstruction, after damage to its structure during the bloody Battle of Mosul in 2017.
Macron also visited the ruins of the famous 12th Century Al Nuri Mosque, which was demolished by the ISIS terrorists during its retreat from the city.
Mosul was recaptured in 2017 by the Iraqi security forces at heavy cost.
ISIS rule and the battle to retake Mosul left large parts of the city and surrounding areas in ruins.
The 12th-century Al Nuri Mosque and its complex, as well as Our Lady of the Hour Church, are being reconstructed through a UAE-Unesco project.
Emmanuel Macron’s two-day visit to Iraq is being seen as a show of support for the country as it struggles to maintain stability and to rebuild after years of war.