Pope Francis Escapes Two Assassination Attempts in Iraq

Pope Francis revealed that he survived two assassination attempts during his visit to Iraq in March 2021. This was shared in his upcoming autobiography, Hope, with excerpts published by Italian media on Tuesday.

The Pope explained that his Vatican security team got an urgent warning from British intelligence during the trip.

“A woman with explosives, a young suicide bomber, was heading to Mosul to blow herself up during my visit,” he wrote. “A van also sped off with the same plan.”

Both attackers were stopped and killed by Iraqi police before they could carry out their plans.

Pope Francis, who turned 88 on Tuesday, said many people told him not to go. “Almost everyone advised me against the trip,” he said. “But I felt I had to do it. I wanted to bring hope to the people.”

The visit in March 2021 was very important. It was the Pope’s first international trip in 15 months because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the risks, he visited major cities like Baghdad and Mosul, which was once controlled by the Islamic State group.

During trips like this, the Pope’s security is handled by the Pontifical Swiss Guard and the Vatican Gendarmerie. They work closely with local police to keep him safe. In Iraq, security was especially tight because of ongoing violence.

Pope Francis’s visit was a brave effort to promote peace and unity in Iraq, a country hurt by war and terrorism.

The Pope’s autobiography, Hope, will be released in January in over 80 countries.