Iraq’s Sunni Endowment to resume work on Mosul Grand Mosque reconstruction

Shafaq News/ The governor of Nineveh, Abdul Qader al-Dakhil, announced on Sunday that the Sunni Endowment has pledged to resume the reconstruction of the Mosul Grand Mosque, which has been halted for months due to corruption allegations.

“The Sunni Endowment head Mashaan al-Khazraji visited Mosul two days ago. During the meeting, they discussed various issues, including the utilization of Sunni Endowment properties, job positions for imams and preachers, and the stalled reconstruction of the Mosul Grand Mosque on the city's eastern side.”Al-Dakhil told Shafaq News Agency.

"Al-Khazraji promised to restart work on the Mosul Grand Mosque project soon," al-Dakhil said, noting that the mosque, once completed, would serve as a cultural landmark for the city of Mosul.

The project came to a halt last year after lawmakers from Nineveh raised corruption concerns, prompting an investigation into the project’s financial records.

Previously, Nineveh’s Endowment Committee had called on both local and federal authorities to expedite the mosque's reconstruction.

Construction on the Mosul Grand Mosque began in the late 1990s during the former regime, but progress was interrupted following the US invasion of Iraq. Work resumed intermittently but has repeatedly been delayed due to funding shortages.

The renowned mosque, built in 1172 by Nur al-Din Zangi, is set to reopen to the public next year. The project is being carried out by UNESCO with funding from the United Arab Emirates and under the supervision of the Nineveh Antiquities and Heritage Inspectorate and the Sunni Waqf.

The mosque and its minaret, symbols of Mosul's history, were destroyed by ISIS militants in 2017. The militants had used the mosque as a backdrop for their leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi to declare a caliphate in 2014.