Pope visits Iraq’s war-ravaged north on last day of tour

Francis will head to the northern city of Mosul, which was heavily damaged in the war against IS, to pray for Iraq’s war victims.

Pope Francis arrives at Irbil international airport in Iraq. Picture: Hadi Mizban/AP

Pope Francis arrived in northern Iraq on Sunday, where he planned to pray in the ruins of churches damaged or destroyed by Islamic State extremists and celebrate an open-air Mass on the last day of the first-ever papal visit to the country.

The Vatican hopes that the landmark visit will rally the country’s Christian communities and encourage them to stay despite decades of war and instability.