MOSUL, Iraq — French former President Francois Hollande visited the Iraqi city of Mosul to observe its conditions than two years after the country announced the defeat of ISIS.
Hollande travelled from the Kurdistan Region's capital of Erbil to Mosul on Monday morning. There he visited a church, the city's minorities, and took questions from journalists.
He also visited the Old City in western Mosul. The area was most devastated by the conflict and where historic al-Nuri Mosque and al-Hadba Minaret were destroyed.
Hollande implored foreign countries to support rebuilding Iraq.
France's former president twice previously has visited the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.
He recalled visiting forces near the frontlines with then Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani.
Hollande thanked the Kurdistan Region for sheltering Yezidis, Christians, and other groups through the conflict.
Hollande's visit is upon an official invitation from the Rudaw Media Network for a recognition ceremony for Gardi, a Rudaw journalist who died while covering the ISIS conflict in Mosul. He arrived in Erbil earlier on Monday.
France’s close relations to the Kurdistan Region date back to the establishment of the no-fly zone in 1991 under the late French President Francois Mitterrand.
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