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A boy stands next to his father as they visit a “Hammam”, a traditional steam bath, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Najaf, Iraq January 15, 2021. (Photo by Alaa Al-Marjani/Reuters)

A boy stands next to his father as they visit a “Hammam”, a traditional steam bath, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Najaf, Iraq January 15, 2021. (Photo by Alaa Al-Marjani/Reuters)



Mourners carry remains of people from the minority Yazidi sect, who were killed by Islamic State militants, after they were exhumed from a mass grave, to re-bury them in Kojo, Iraq on February 6, 2021. In August 2014, Islamic State fighters surrounded the village of Kojo in Sinjar district, northern Iraq, rounded up Yazidi residents and slaughtered several hundred of them. (Photo by Thaier al-Sudani/Reuters)

Mourners carry remains of people from the minority Yazidi sect, who were killed by Islamic State militants, after they were exhumed from a mass grave, to re-bury them in Kojo, Iraq on February 6, 2021. In August 2014, Islamic State fighters surrounded the village of Kojo in Sinjar district, northern Iraq, rounded up Yazidi residents and slaughtered several hundred of them. (Photo by Thaier al-Sudani/Reuters)



A bear is seen inside a cage before Kurdish animal rights activists release it into the wild after rescuing bears from captivity in people homes, in Dohuk, Iraq on February 10, 2021. (Photo by Ari Jalal/Reuters)

A bear is seen inside a cage before Kurdish animal rights activists release it into the wild after rescuing bears from captivity in people homes, in Dohuk, Iraq on February 10, 2021. (Photo by Ari Jalal/Reuters)



A Kurdish man feeds fish to a bear before Kurdish animal rights activists release it into the wild after rescuing bears from captivity in people homes, in Dohuk, Iraq on February 11, 2021. (Photo by Ari Jalal/Reuters)

A Kurdish man feeds fish to a bear before Kurdish animal rights activists release it into the wild after rescuing bears from captivity in people homes, in Dohuk, Iraq on February 11, 2021. (Photo by Ari Jalal/Reuters)



People and security members run away as Kurdish animal rights activists release a bear into the wild after rescuing bears from captivity in people homes, in Dohuk, Iraq on February 11, 2021. (Photo by Ari Jalal/Reuters)

People and security members run away as Kurdish animal rights activists release a bear into the wild after rescuing bears from captivity in people homes, in Dohuk, Iraq on February 11, 2021. (Photo by Ari Jalal/Reuters)



Members of Iraqi security forces stand guard near a poster of Pope Francis ahead of his arrival to the Syro-Catholic Cathedral of “Our Lady of Salvation” in Baghdad, Iraq on March 5, 2021. (Photo by Thaier Al-Sudani/Reuters)

Members of Iraqi security forces stand guard near a poster of Pope Francis ahead of his arrival to the Syro-Catholic Cathedral of “Our Lady of Salvation” in Baghdad, Iraq on March 5, 2021. (Photo by Thaier Al-Sudani/Reuters)



A girl is carried after attending a mass led by Pope Francis at the Chaldean Cathedral of “Saint Joseph” in Baghdad, Iraq on March 6, 2021. (Photo by Ahmed Jadallah/Reuters)

A girl is carried after attending a mass led by Pope Francis at the Chaldean Cathedral of “Saint Joseph” in Baghdad, Iraq on March 6, 2021. (Photo by Ahmed Jadallah/Reuters)



One of three flamingos used as pets and decorative animals at a home in Maysan District, Iraq, February 2021. Bird poaching can be a lucrative business in Maysan, which is located between the Ahwar marshes – a Unesco world heritage site – and the border with Iran, putting it at the forefront of bird trafficking. The region is a poor one and the illegal trafficking of birds is a lifeline for many families. It is during the winter months of October to February that the birds migrate towards the southern Iraqi marshes, where temperatures are milder and there is an abundance of food. Those that are captured are sold for 30–40,000 Iraqi dinars (£15–£20). (Photo by Chloe Sharrock/The Guardian)

One of three flamingos used as pets and decorative animals at a home in Maysan District, Iraq, February 2021. Bird poaching can be a lucrative business in Maysan, which is located between the Ahwar marshes – a Unesco world heritage site – and the border with Iran, putting it at the forefront of bird trafficking. The region is a poor one and the illegal trafficking of birds is a lifeline for many families. It is during the winter months of October to February that the birds migrate towards the southern Iraqi marshes, where temperatures are milder and there is an abundance of food. Those that are captured are sold for 30–40,000 Iraqi dinars (£15–£20). (Photo by Chloe Sharrock/The Guardian)



An employee works to sew the flag of Vatican City at a printing house on March 4, 2021 in Erbil, Iraq. On March 5, Pope Francis will start the historic first ever papal visit to Iraq. In his first foreign trip since the start of the pandemic Pope Francis will visit Baghdad, Najaf, Erbil and the cities of Qaraqosh and Mosul, which were heavily destroyed by ISIS. Although the trip is seen as an act of solidarity, the Vatican has been forced to defend the decision to go ahead with the papal visit amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, as Iraq is currently seeing a spike in infection rates as it faces a deadly second wave of the virus. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

An employee works to sew the flag of Vatican City at a printing house on March 4, 2021 in Erbil, Iraq. On March 5, Pope Francis will start the historic first ever papal visit to Iraq. In his first foreign trip since the start of the pandemic Pope Francis will visit Baghdad, Najaf, Erbil and the cities of Qaraqosh and Mosul, which were heavily destroyed by ISIS. Although the trip is seen as an act of solidarity, the Vatican has been forced to defend the decision to go ahead with the papal visit amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, as Iraq is currently seeing a spike in infection rates as it faces a deadly second wave of the virus. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)



An Iraqi cleric walks on a US flag painted on the ground as people gather to pay respects by the grave of slain commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis at the Wadi al-Salam (“Valley of Peace”) cemetery in the holy city of Najaf, on January 4, 2021, marking the first anniversary of his killing alongside Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani in a US drone strike. (Photo by Ali Najafi/AFP Photo)

An Iraqi cleric walks on a US flag painted on the ground as people gather to pay respects by the grave of slain commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis at the Wadi al-Salam (“Valley of Peace”) cemetery in the holy city of Najaf, on January 4, 2021, marking the first anniversary of his killing alongside Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani in a US drone strike. (Photo by Ali Najafi/AFP Photo)



A billboard showing Pope Francis and Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, with Arabic that reads, “You are a part of us and we are a part of you”, hangs on a street in Baghdad, Iraq,  prior to the upcoming Pope visit, Monday, March 1, 2021. (Photo by Khalid Mohammed/AP/Photo)

A billboard showing Pope Francis and Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, with Arabic that reads, “You are a part of us and we are a part of you”, hangs on a street in Baghdad, Iraq, prior to the upcoming Pope visit, Monday, March 1, 2021. (Photo by Khalid Mohammed/AP/Photo)



Children in their festive garment wave Iraqi flags to the camera as they arrive to join Pope Francis who will pray for the victims of war at Hosh al-Bieaa Church Square, in Mosul, Iraq, once the de-facto capital of IS, Sunday, March 7, 2021. (Photo by Andrew Medichini/AP Photo)

Children in their festive garment wave Iraqi flags to the camera as they arrive to join Pope Francis who will pray for the victims of war at Hosh al-Bieaa Church Square, in Mosul, Iraq, once the de-facto capital of IS, Sunday, March 7, 2021. (Photo by Andrew Medichini/AP Photo)



Supporters of the Popular Mobilization Forces hold a posters of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization Forces, front, and General Qassem Soleimani, head of Iran's Quds force during a protest, in Tahrir Square, Iraq, Sunday, January 3, 2021. Thousands of Iraqis converged on a landmark central square in Baghdad on Sunday to commemorate the anniversary of the killing of Soleimanil and al-Muhandis in a U.S. drone strike. (Photo by Khalid Moha/AP Photo)

Supporters of the Popular Mobilization Forces hold a posters of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization Forces, front, and General Qassem Soleimani, head of Iran's Quds force during a protest, in Tahrir Square, Iraq, Sunday, January 3, 2021. Thousands of Iraqis converged on a landmark central square in Baghdad on Sunday to commemorate the anniversary of the killing of Soleimanil and al-Muhandis in a U.S. drone strike. (Photo by Khalid Moha/AP Photo)



Shiite faithful pilgrims visit the shrine of Imam Moussa al-Kadhim in Baghdad, Iraq, despite a curfew imposed by the government to help fight the spread of the coronavirus, Saturday, February 20, 2021. Mosques and schools are closed, large gatherings prohibited, and the wearing of masks and other protective gear will be enforced, according to a statement from the government. (Photo by Hadi Mizban/AP Photo)

Shiite faithful pilgrims visit the shrine of Imam Moussa al-Kadhim in Baghdad, Iraq, despite a curfew imposed by the government to help fight the spread of the coronavirus, Saturday, February 20, 2021. Mosques and schools are closed, large gatherings prohibited, and the wearing of masks and other protective gear will be enforced, according to a statement from the government. (Photo by Hadi Mizban/AP Photo)



Women wait outside the Chaldean Cathedral of Saint Joseph, in Baghdad, Iraq, Saturday, March 6, 2021, where Pope Francis, depicted on a giant poster at their back, is concelebrating a mass. Earlier today Francis met privately with the country's revered Shiite leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. (Photo by Andrew Medichini/AP Photo)

Women wait outside the Chaldean Cathedral of Saint Joseph, in Baghdad, Iraq, Saturday, March 6, 2021, where Pope Francis, depicted on a giant poster at their back, is concelebrating a mass. Earlier today Francis met privately with the country's revered Shiite leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. (Photo by Andrew Medichini/AP Photo)



An Iraqi medic administers a shot of the Sinopharm coronavirus vaccine to a man giving a thumbs up, during vaccination of health personnel, at a clinic in Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, March 2, 2021. (Photo by Hadi Mizban/AP/Photo)

An Iraqi medic administers a shot of the Sinopharm coronavirus vaccine to a man giving a thumbs up, during vaccination of health personnel, at a clinic in Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, March 2, 2021. (Photo by Hadi Mizban/AP/Photo)



An aerial photo shows archeological site of the 6,000-year-old archaeological site of Ur during the preparations for Pope Francis' visit near Nasiriyah, Iraq, Saturday, March 6, 2021. Pope Francis arrived in Iraq on Friday to urge the country's dwindling number of Christians to stay put and help rebuild the country after years of war and persecution, brushing aside the coronavirus pandemic and security concerns to make his first-ever papal visit. (Photo by Nabil al-Jourani/AP Photo)

An aerial photo shows archeological site of the 6,000-year-old archaeological site of Ur during the preparations for Pope Francis' visit near Nasiriyah, Iraq, Saturday, March 6, 2021. Pope Francis arrived in Iraq on Friday to urge the country's dwindling number of Christians to stay put and help rebuild the country after years of war and persecution, brushing aside the coronavirus pandemic and security concerns to make his first-ever papal visit. (Photo by Nabil al-Jourani/AP Photo)



A Christian priest holds a Vatican flag as he walks by a poster of Pope Francis during preparations for the Pope's visit in Mar Youssif Church in Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, February 26, 2021. (Photo by Hadi Mizban/AP Photo)

A Christian priest holds a Vatican flag as he walks by a poster of Pope Francis during preparations for the Pope's visit in Mar Youssif Church in Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, February 26, 2021. (Photo by Hadi Mizban/AP Photo)



A woman waves a Vatican flag as she waits for Pope Francis to hold a mass at Franso Hariri Stadium in Erbil, Iraq, March 7, 2021. (Photo by Yara Nardi/Reuters)

A woman waves a Vatican flag as she waits for Pope Francis to hold a mass at Franso Hariri Stadium in Erbil, Iraq, March 7, 2021. (Photo by Yara Nardi/Reuters)
13 Mar 2021 10:18:00