BAGHDAD, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- Iraq has launched a major reconstruction and heritage revival initiative, dubbed the "Mosul Pulse" project, to revitalize the historic alleys and neighborhoods of the war-battered old city of Mosul, a government official confirmed Monday.
Turhan al-Mufti, advisor to Iraqi Prime Minister Shia' al-Sudani, told the official Iraqi News Agency that the first phase, launched by al-Sudani on Sunday and aimed at reviving Mosul's heritage, will focus on the rehabilitation of the 1,800-meter-long Al-Farouq Street.
The key artery will link numerous areas, connecting vital landmarks like the iconic al-Nuri Mosque, al-Mufti said.
The initiative, which is planned to eventually encompass all of Mosul's areas, will be funded by the Iraqi government alongside contributions from the Iraqi Private Banks League and international organizations, he said.
Mosul, about 400 km north of the capital Baghdad, was seized by the Islamic State group in 2014 and was liberated in 2017 after fierce fighting. The battles left catastrophic damage to the old city's neighborhoods. ■
