Inside the demolished mosque where IS declared its caliphate in 2014

MOSUL, Iraq (Kurdistan24) – Kurdistan24 produced footage of the aftermath of the destroyed iconic Great al-Nuri Mosque, the same mosque where the Islamic State (IS) declared its 'Caliphate' in June 2014 speech and that it blew up three years later on June 22.

As seen in the video below, Kurdistan24 Correspondent Masoud Mohammed walks in front of a severely damaged al-Nuri Mosque, showing part of the minaret has fallen to the ground.

Following the emergence of the jihadist group in 2014, IS leader Abubakr al-Baghdadi declared the creation of a 'Caliphate' and appointed himself as the caliph of the self-proclaimed state. Al-Nuri Mosque speech symbolized the beginning of the Islamic State's brutal rule over Mosul and parts of Iraq. The recapture of the area by Iraqi forces last week was thus considered a significant victory over IS.

While the Kurdistan24 crew was filming the area, they captured footage of an old man Iraqi troops arrested, believed to be an IS doctor who provided medical treatment to injured jihadists in the area but accidentally wandered into a zone controlled by security forces.

Al-Nuri mosque is one of the most historic sites in Iraq, built in the late 12th century. It was famous for its leaning minaret which earned the city the nickname of “hunchback." It underwent several renovations over the past centuries.

Soon after IS detonated the mosque, Iraqi forces labeled the move a "defeat" which marked the end of IS in Mosul, the self-proclaimed capital of the jihadists in Iraq.