Pope Francis Recounts Escaping Two Assassination Attempts in Iraq

Pope Francis shares his harrowing experience of surviving two assassination attempts during his visit to Iraq, highlighting the risks of promoting peace in conflict zones.

According to excerpts from his upcoming autobiography published by Italian media on Tuesday, Pope Francis survived two assassination attempts during his landmark visit to Iraq in March 2021.

The Vatican security team assigned to the Pope received a critical alert from British intelligence, according to Francis.

In “Hope,” set to be released in over 80 countries this January, he wrote about a woman loaded with explosives—a young suicide bomber—who was on her way to Mosul intending to carry out an attack during the papal visit.

“A van had also sped off with the same intention,” he noted, according to excerpts from the book published by Italian daily Corriere della Sera.

The Iraqi police intercepted and killed the two attackers.

Francis, who celebrated his 88th birthday on Tuesday, shared that “nearly everyone advised against” the trip to Iraq. However, he stated, “I wanted to get to the bottom of things and felt it was something I had to do.”

The historic three-day visit in March 2021 occurred under tight security measures. It marked Francis’s first journey in 15 months, coinciding with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Despite the significant risks to his personal safety, the Argentine pope traveled extensively across the country, visiting Baghdad and Mosul, which was once a stronghold of the Islamic State group.

While traveling abroad, the pope’s security is managed by the Pontifical Swiss Guard and the Vatican Gendarmerie, in cooperation with local law enforcement agencies.