AFP reports:
Five years after the Daesh group swept across Iraq, Baghdad is bidding to reclaim its role as a regional player while walking a tightrope between rival backers the US and Iran.
The country is seeking to position itself as a "bridge" between rival powers in a region beset by deep divisions, says Iraqi political scientist Ihssan Al Shemmari.
Following more than a decade of international sanctions and 15 years of conflict — including the push to roll back Daesh, which ended over a year ago — violence in Iraq has dropped sharply.
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