Iraq increases security ahead of Pope's visit

Iraq beefed up security this week as Pope Francis prepares to make his first-ever trip to the country.

Police were deployed on the streets of Baghdad while troops set up checkpoints around the churches that the pontiff will visit.

He's due to arrive on Friday and stay until Monday on a tour that will focus on the difficulties faced by Iraq's hard-pressed Christian community.

One of the churches the Pope will visit is Our Lady of Salvation in Baghdad, where dozens of worshippers were killed during an extremist attack in 2010.

Louis Clemis was attending Mass at the church when the extremists stormed in.

He survived, but eleven years on, he still suffers from hearing loss.

Clemis hopes the Pope's visit will help persuade Iraqi authorities to strengthen their clampdown on people of violence.

"Enough of the gangs and the terrorist groups," he said. "Enough of killing, violence and terrorist acts."

Meanwhile, there's concern that crowds attracted by the Papal visit could lead to a rise in coronavirus infections.

Authorities have been sterilising the churches on his itinerary in the hope of reducing the risk.

The Pope is also expected to visit the ancient city of Ur in southern Iraq, the birthplace of the biblical patriarch Abraham.

He's due to hold an inter-faith service there to promote dialogue and co-existence among all religious groups.