Mustafa al-Kadhimi

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.

Eight months after national elections, Iraq still doesn't have a government and there seems to be no clear way out of the dangerous deadlock.

Political elites are embroiled in cutthroat competition for power, even as the country faces growing challenges, including an impending food crisis resulting from severe drought and the war in Ukraine.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog extended his wishes to Turks on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr in a phone conversation with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the presidential office has said.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog called President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Feb. 6 and extended his good wishes to him and first lady Emine Erdoğan after they tested positive for COVID-19.

Erdoğan thanked Herzog, and the two leaders discussed holding a meeting soon, according to the presidency.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sent a letter on Nov. 10 to Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi in which he condemned in the "strongest terms" a terror attack on the home of the Iraqi premier.

Turkey's foreign minister on Nov. 8 extended his get-well wishes to Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi after explosive-laden drones targeted his residence.

Over the phone, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu once again "strongly condemned" the terror attack where explosive-laden drones targeted the residence of Al-Kadhimi early on Sunday, according to diplomatic sources.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kazimi survived an assassination attempt by drone attack tonight on his residence in Baghdad, the AP reported. According to two official sources, seven of the prime minister's bodyguards were injured in the attack on the heavily guarded Green Zone in the Iraqi capital.

Iraq's Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi survived an assassination attempt with armed drones that targeted his residence early on Nov. 7 and officials said he was unharmed. The attack was a major escalation amid tensions sparked by the refusal of Iran-backed militias to accept last month's parliamentary election results.

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. President Joe Biden and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi sealed an agreement on July 26 formally ending the U.S. combat mission in Iraq by the end of 2021, but U.S. forces will still operate there in an advisory role.

The agreement comes at a politically delicate time for the Iraqi government and could be a boost for Baghdad.