For over 850 years, the leaning minaret of the Great Mosque of al-Nuri stood as an iconic landmark in the Iraqi city of Mosul until it was destroyed by the Islamic State group in 2017

The leaning minaret of Mosul in northern Iraq has been restored using its original brickwork, years after it was reduced to rubble under Islamic State group rule.France 24's James André was in Mosul in 2017,

The IS fighters were not deterred by UNESCO World Heritage status and destroyed ancient cities such as Hatra and Nineveh. They began destroying monuments, churches, and mosques in conquered areas of Iraq and Syria in the fall of 2014, including numerous archaeological sites. The IS attempted to destroy the diverse way of life in Mosul.

A UN project to rebuild some of Iraq’s most famous religious sites has restored cultural vitality and social fabric to the city of Mosul, says Unesco chief Audrey Azoulay, describing the work as the agency's most “ambitious and impactful”.