Islamic State militants have blown up the Great Mosque of al-Nuri in Mosul on June 21, along with its famous leaning al-Habda minaret, according to an Iraqi military statement.The Iraqi militarys media office distributed a picture taken from the air that appears to show the mosque and minaret flattened in the middle of the small houses of the Old City, the historic district where the militants are besieged.Iraqi officials had privately expressed the hope that the mosque could be captured in time for Eid al-Fitr, the festival marking the end of Ramadan, the Muslim fasting month. The first day of the Eid falls this year onJune 25 or 26 in Iraq.
