Mosul's famous Al Nuri Mosque, which was destroyed by ISIS in 2017, is to reopen by the end of the year as part of a major UN project to restore some of Iraq’s most historic religious sites, The National has been told.
The mosque, famous for its leaning minaret, is one of Mosul's oldest landmarks and is where the terrorist group's leader Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi proclaimed a "caliphate" in 2014. The group blew it up in 2017 as government forces retook the city.
“Our aim is to complete the entire Al Nuri Mosque including the minaret by late autumn this year,” Maria Rita Acetoso, Unesco's senior project manager in Iraq, told The National.
Ms Acestoso said the project, which was launched in 2018, has now "completed basically the structural part of the mosque and minaret. We have completed the consolidation of the dome. Now, what we are doing is working in parallel on the prayer hall and on the prayer area."
The structural reconstruction of the mosque's compound is finished, she said. However, the leaning minaret and the finishing touches have not yet been completed.
The battle to clear Mosul of ISIS fighters lasted almost nine months, left large areas of the city in ruins, killed thousands of civilians and displaced more than 900,000.
To ensure that the dimensions, thickness and patterns of the bricks are the same as those that made up the minaret before ISIS took over, Unesco used "suitable brick producers who could source the bricks we wanted based on the mechanical characteristics of the original ones we sent to the lab of the University of Mosul for testing", Ms Acetoso said.
Unesco's project, called Revive the Spirit of Mosul, has been largely funded by the UAE, which donated $50 million to restore Al Nuri complex, as well as two nearby churches, Al Saa’a and Al Tahera.
Nineveh governorate was left in ruins after three years of ISIS occupation which ended in 2017 when Iraqi forces backed by US-led coalition air strikes pushed them out.
The project is part of its support for post-ISIS reconstruction in the city. It has provided 3,000 jobs for locals in Mosul since it started. It later expanded to include the restoration of Al Saa’a and Al Tahera Churches.
Mosul and the surrounding plains of Nineveh were once home to one of the region's oldest Christian communities.
Iraq's Christian population has shrunk from about 1.5 million before the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled the dictator Saddam Hussein, to fewer than 400,000.
The reconstruction of Al Saa'a has finished, and the church held its first mass in January 2024.
Built towards the end of the 19th century by Catholic priests of the Dominican order, the church holds significance for the city’s architectural history and heritage and is a symbol of coexistence in the country.
"The official handover is not yet known, we are just waiting for the provincial order to confirm when the focal point, which is currently not deployed in Iraq, can actually travel so that we can get the keys back to the Dominican Order," she said.
The reconstruction of the 800-year-old Al Tahera church is also done, Ms Acetoso said, with some final touches due to be completed by June this year.
How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
More from Neighbourhood Watch
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Company%20profile
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The biog
Year of birth: 1988
Place of birth: Baghdad
Education: PhD student and co-researcher at Greifswald University, Germany
Hobbies: Ping Pong, swimming, reading
The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
The Sky Is Pink
Director: Shonali Bose
Cast: Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Farhan Akhtar, Zaira Wasim, Rohit Saraf
Three stars
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
NATIONAL%20SELECTIONS
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Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder turbo
Transmission: CVT
Power: 170bhp
Torque: 220Nm
Price: Dh98,900
