"This is a victory over the terrorism of the Ba'ath Party and the insurgents," Mahmoud Abbas Al-Malkey, a Shiite shop owner, told The Washington Times.

Minarets, tall towers used for the Muslim call to prayer, are not required for mosques. But many Muslims find them a powerful symbol of their faith.

Saddam banned Shiite mosques from building minarets because he feared opponents could use them to keep track of his movements and spy into his palaces.

Saddam's Mother of all Battles Mosque, built after his defeat in the Gulf War, features four minarets shaped like AK-47 rifles. The mosque and its minarets have been left intact as a reminder of his regime.