Iraqi military reports ISIS has destroyed landmark al-Nuri mosque

Islamic State militants have destroyed the historic Great Mosque of al-Nuri, the Iraqi military said in a statement Wednesday. The mosque, located in Mosul, is famous for its leaning minaret and was where ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared an Islamic caliphate in 2014.

Shortly after the Iraqis blamed ISIS for the mosque's destruction, the terror group released a statement via its Amaq news wire claiming that the U.S. blew up the landmark.

Earlier Wednesday, the Iraqi military reported that it was approaching the mosque in its continued fight to retake Mosul. Iraq reclaimed eastern Mosul in January, but fighting continues in the western portion of the city.

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