Iraqi forces saw off a nighttime counterattack by ISIS near Mosul's main government building hours after recapturing it, a military official said Wednesday as troops sought to push the militants further back. The museum once housed Mesopotamian artifacts dating back thousands of years. Most of the artifacts inside the building appeared to be completely destroyed. "Mosul is the heart of Iraqi civilization," said Federal Police Maj. Muhammad al-Jabouri, a Mosul native from a nearby neighbourhood. Ancient destroyed artifacts are seen inside Mosul's heavily damaged museum.

Source: CBC News March 08, 2017 13:20 UTC