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<p>The UK condemns Daesh's destruction of historical and religious buildings in Iraq,
whether they be archaeological sites, churches, mosques or temples.</p><p>The UK's
Cultural Protection Fund of £30 million is designed to build capacity and capability
in conflict zones in order to protect cultural heritage. Over £4 million from the
fund has been awarded to Iraq across four projects. £3 million of this has been allocated
to the British Museum's Rescue Archaeology Project. This project supplements the skills
of a team of Iraqi national heritage sector workers to assess and record the condition
of heritage sites and carry out rescue archaeology as a preliminary to reconstruction
at sites damaged by Daesh. The first cohort of Iraqi archaeologists completed their
training in 2016 and the second cohort completed their training earlier this year
in London.</p><p>The UK is also funding: the University of Manchester, working with
the State Board for Antiquities and Heritage in Iraq, to survey and document the pre-Islamic
Alexandrian city of Charax, as well as 14 other sites in Iraq; and the University
of Liverpool to record, preserve and promote understanding of Yezidi heritage and
identity.</p>
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