US soldiers patrol the area around the entrance of the Al-Askari shrine complex in the northern Iraqi city of Samarra on February 12, 2008. On February 22, 2006, alleged Al-Qaeda extremists marched into the mosque and used explosive charges to bring down Al-Askari shrine's famed golden dome, which was built in 1905 over a far older shrine in honour of the Imam Mahdi. Today, violence is falling in Samarra, some businesses are reopening and the United Nations cultural organisation UNESCO has teamed up with the Iraqi government to start work rebuilding the desecrated shrine complex.
A general view shows Al-Askari shrine (background) in the northern Iraqi city of Samarra on February 11, 2008. On February 22, 2006, alleged Al-Qaeda extremists marched into the mosque and used explosive charges to bring down Al-Askari shrine's famed golden dome, which was built in 1905 over a far older shrine in honour of the Imam Mahdi. This attack on the world's third holiest Shiite shrine by Sunni extremists was the lever that Al-Qaeda needed to push Iraq's resentful religious sects into open warfare, triggering two years of vicious bloodshed.
A US soldier walks towards the entrance of the Al-Askari shrine complex (background) in the northern Iraqi city of Samarra on February 12, 2008. On February 22, 2006, alleged Al-Qaeda extremists marched into the mosque and used explosive charges to bring down Al-Askari shrine's famed golden dome, which was built in 1905 over a far older shrine in honour of the Imam Mahdi. Today, violence is falling in Samarra, some businesses are reopening and the United Nations cultural organisation UNESCO has teamed up with the Iraqi government to start work rebuilding the desecrated shrine complex.
Iraqi security forces stand guard in front of the Al-Askari shrine complex with its ruined golden dome in the northern Iraqi city of Samarra on February 12, 2008. On February 22, 2006, alleged Al-Qaeda extremists marched into the mosque and used explosive charges to bring down Al-Askari shrine's famed golden dome, which was built in 1905 over a far older shrine in honour of the Imam Mahdi. Today, violence is falling in Samarra, some businesses are reopening and the United Nations cultural organisation UNESCO has teamed up with the Iraqi government to start work rebuilding the desecrated shrine complex.
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