Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh told a news conference that a convoy with 800 Iraqis left Damascus Tuesday heading for Baghdad. He said 60,000 Iraqis have recently returned and more are expected.

He said the government will do its best to protect the families.

In other news, the U.S. military says coalition forces detained 12 suspects since Tuesday in operations targeting al-Qaida networks in central and northern Iraq.

Separately, the military says Iraqi forces, advised by U.S. Special Forces, captured three known al-Qaida in Iraq terrorists Tuesday in western Baghdad. - VOA News