Iraq's government

Iraq's shrunken and conflict-scarred Christian community is launching a new television channel as part of efforts to save their dying language, spoken for more than 2,000 years.

Syriac, an ancient dialect of Aramaic, has traditionally been the language spoken by Christians in Iraq and neighboring Syria, mostly in homes but also in some schools and during church services.

Armed supporters of a powerful Iraqi cleric who clashed with security forces in the capital began to withdraw from the streets Tuesday, restoring a measure of calm after a serious escalation of the nation's political crisis.

Lebanon's Ministry of Culture handed over to Iraq on Feb. 6 337 ancient artifacts that had been on display in a Lebanese museum for years.

The items, which included clay tablets, were returned by Minister of Culture Mohammed Murtada to Iraq's ambassador to Lebanon during a ceremony held at the National Museum of Beirut.

Turkey on Dec. 4 "strongly condemned" the "heinous" terror attack near Iraq's Makhmour district that left at least 13 people dead, including civilians.

"We are saddened to receive the news that 3 civilians and 10 KRG security forces lost their lives in a terror attack that took place in a village near Iraq's Makhmour district," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

Over 17,000 looted ancient artefacts recovered from the United States and other countries were handed over to Iraq's Culture Ministry on Aug. 3, a restitution described by the government as the largest in the country's history.

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U.S. troops came under rocket fire in Syria on June 28, but escaped injury, in apparent retaliation for weekend U.S. air strikes against Iran-aligned militia in Syria and Iraq.

A U.S. military spokesman said U.S. forces had responded to the multiple rockets by firing back at the positions in self-defense.

At least four children in northern Iraq were injured in a mortar attack on March 17, Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

The attack was carried out by the ISIL according to Mustafa Hassan, the police chief in Tuz Khurmatu district.

Iranian envoy to Iraq said Tehran is willing to settle its differences and challenges with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia as soon as possible, Iraqi media reported on Feb. 4.

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden has welcomed the partial withdrawal of Turkish troops from a camp in northern Iraq and urged Turkey to continue trying to cooperate with Baghdad during a phone call with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu.

Vice President Joe Biden reassured Iraq's government on May 25 of US support in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), telephoning Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi with thanks for "the enormous sacrifice and bravery of Iraqi forces" one day after Defense Secretary Ash Carter questioned the Iraqi military commitment.