Some Christians in Iraq’s capital were considering leaving, following a wave of bombings targeting members of their religion that left two dead and 16 others wounded.

Iraqi Christians buried their dead on Friday after a string of apparently coordinated attacks using bombs and rockets hit their dwindling community, killing two people and injuring 13 others.

The number of civilians who died as a result of violence in Iraq dropped for a third straight year in 2010, with improvement accelerating after the U.S. declared the official end of combat operations, a nonprofit group reported.

Turkey is stepping up its role in Iraq, vying with Iran as a regional power. These powerful neighbors use investments and building projects to ensure long-term influence. Northern Iraq is the staging ground for Turkey’s bid, as competition heats up ahead of the U.S. withdrawal of troops.

Turkey is stepping up its role in Iraq, vying with Iran as a regional power. These powerful neighbors use investments and building projects to ensure long-term influence. Northern Iraq is the staging ground for Turkey’s bid, as competition heats up ahead of the U.S. withdrawal of troops.