Adhamiya Videos

House demolitions in Adhamiya have been one of many tactics employed by the United States military in its attempts to quell violence and insurgents in the troubled neighborhood. The tactic of house demolition has been a familiar one to the United States, used as early as 2003 to destroy the homes of suspected insurgents. This tactic was taken from the experience of Israeli Defense Forces' behavior in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. It s easy to believe the American forces were acting on what they believed to be noble intentions. In 2003 Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt told the USA Today, If I saw that house go away, I d feel more secure, in reference to the destroying the home of a terrorist across the street . Unfortunately Brigadier General Kimmitt was not considering the impact of home destruction in dense urban areas such as Raghiba Khatoon in Adhamiya. While much has been made of the improved security environment in Iraq and the decision by President Obama to withdraw combat troops, it is important to look back at the lessons learned, and those seemingly unlearned, from the US military campaign in Iraq, particularly as the US escalates its war against insurgents in Afghanistan and Pakistan. In Afghanistan and Pakistan, or AfPak as its commonly referred to in the Western press, the US continues its practice of collective punishment against the population. It does so seemingly unaware of the damages suffered during counterinsurgency operations in Iraq. In fact, it appears that the US military may actually be getting worse at it, rather than improving. A study recently released by academics at King's College and Royal Holloway, University of London reveals that in Iraq, 39 per cent of deaths from US air strikes were children, while 46 per cent were women. Even if its assumed that all of the men killed were legitimate military targets, that still only leaves a bombing success rate of just 15 per cent. In Pakistan, the statistics are much worse. Figures released by the Pakistani government show that of 701 people killed in US air strikes, only 14 could be verified as legitimate al-Qa'eda operatives. That's a staggeringly low success rate of just 2 per cent. It could be argued that in such active conflict zones as Iraq and "AfPak," civilian casualties are inevitable. However, the evidence in the King's College study of Iraq shows that the likelihood of innocent deaths increases dramatically when US air power is introduced. Wired Magazine writes, On average, around four people were killed in each violent event. Researchers found, however, that civilian casualties tended to be higher when they involved coalition airstrikes or combined air and ground attacks: The average number killed in an airstrike was 17, similar to the average number of civilians killed by suicide bombers on foot (around 16 deaths per event). Obviously the US in no way intends to cause these civilian casualties, but no matter the motives, it still amounts to collectively punishing the entire population, as opposed to those directly responsible for a specific crime. It should also be noted that the nuance between intentional and unintentional collective punishment is understandably lost on those whose friends and loved ones are killed in the attacks. As the US moves from Iraq to its war in AfPak, can it really afford to continue with collective punishment, rather than focusing on infrastructure and governance? In this classic episode of Alive in Baghdad, we witness the aftermath of one such instance of collective punishment. The reactions to similar violence by civilians in Pakistan is, unfortunately, not difficult to imagine.

Filmmaker Rashad Radwan brings us a film about an Iraqi box champion getting young men to box instead of fight. It is also a compelling account of life in Baghdad's most dangerous district, seen through the eyes of its residents. Author: AlJazeeraEnglish Keywords: Al Jazeera Witness Rageh Omaar Adhamiya Iraq Baghdad Shia Sunni box champion boxing security wall Iraq war Added: April 2, 2009

Filmmaker Rashad Radwan brings us a film about an Iraqi box champion getting young men to box instead of fight. It is also a compelling account of life in Baghdad's most dangerous district, seen through the eyes of its residents. Author: AlJazeeraEnglish Keywords: Al Jazeera Witness Rageh Omaar Adhamiya Iraq Baghdad Shia Sunni box champion boxing security wall Iraq war Added: April 2, 2009

VIDEO - Iraq, Baghdad/Saediya/Adhamiya - The sectarian conflict in Iraq was one of the main problems that has continued to limit stability and security in certain Iraqi provinces. Many people were forced to sell their house and flee to other neighborhoods or to leave Iraq entirely. In other cases they were not able to sell any of their property such as cars or furniture, and had to flee immediately. According to the International Herald Tribune, the highest number of casualties due to violence was in September 2006 when approximately 2600 Iraqis were killed. According to icasualites.org, more than 3300 civilians were killed in this period. At the end of 2006 the Iraqi Minister of Health shocked the world by announcing that 150,000 Iraqis had been killed during the war by October 2006, more than three times previous accepted estimates. Many of the casualties were because of the actions of Al-Qaeda and other Sunni militias or insurgents. On the other hand Shia militias such as the Badr Brigade and others were taking different techniques, for example kidnapping and assassinating Iraqis, and both sides created a great number of refugees and internally-displaced families. Sunni neighborhoods like Adhamiya in Baghdad found themselves hosting Sunni refugees who fled death threats from Shia Areas such as Khalis, Karbala, Najaf, and others. The internally displaced families were desperate to find shelter, some forced to live in tents in camps inside Adhamiya. Some local residents of the neighborhoods donated items like heaters, blankets, and food to help those families. Some families who were lucky were able to make a deal with a Shi'a family who was displaced form Adhamiya, and thereby find a home to shelter them during the worst violence. Shia areas like Sadr City have hosted Shia refugees from Sunni conflict zones like Abu Ghraib, Anbar province, and Falluja specifically. The Sadr movement has provided some of the help for these refugees, like food, blankets, and helping them by sheltering them in properties belonging to the Sadr Movement. Other families in Sadr City decided to host some of the families in their own homes. The common rumors in Baghdad are that the Badr Brigade is kidnapping Iraqi Sunnis, and the Mahdi Army is kidnapping Sunni Iraqi as well. On the Shia side the common belief is that Al-Qaeda and the Islamic Army's main purpose is the removal of all Shia from Iraq and to cut any kind of connection with Iran, and the Iraqi citizens find themselves confused whom to believe, the Iraqi government or a religious militia? Alive in Baghdad brings you interviews with some of those Iraqi who are suffering all those problems everyday.

Video - Iraq, Baghdad/Adhamiya - The ongoing conflict in Baghdad has made a strong impact on the teachers and the education system in Iraq. A large number of teachers left their schools due to the threat of being killed or kidnapped by a gang to be ransomed. In other cases teachers and professors have been threatened or killed by militias or insurgent groups. Street blockades, checkpoints, curfews and the general lack of security affected the performance of teachers in Baghdad and elsewhere in Iraq. Teachers began to fear attending their school, due to the increasing risk of being killed. In 2007, Al-Mustansariya University was attacked by a car bomb that killed more than 65 students and 10 teachers. This explosion was one of many attacks that have targeted this university in particular since the conflict began. All of these attacks have resulted in convincing many students and teachers to stop attending this university. Teachers also face another very different type of problem. Although it is certainly not serious in the same way, the lack of equipment and adequate textbooks are another factor in the deterioration of Iraq's once strong education system. During the spring and summer the temperature in the classrooms can surpass 110 or 120 degrees. Unfortunately, many schools in Iraq are not outfitted with air conditioning systems inside the classroom. Even if students and teachers might be lucky to have an air conditioning unit, in many districts they're unlikely to have electricity. In 2007 the Iraqi Ministry of Education initated a new program to assist repairing and rehabilitating the classrooms and rebuilding schools in different areas of Baghdad. The Ministry has recognized that rehabilitation of Iraq's schools is integral to improving the education system. Unfortunately, the workers who came to repair some of these schools were attacked by different militias, and its believed they considered them to be working for the American forces. Some teachers such as Maani al-Yasseri have raised yet another issue that causes difficulty for the Iraqi educational system, the high number of students in a single classroom. This causes the teachers great difficulty in delivering lessons to the students, and providing enough materials for each student.

Iraq, Baghdad/Adhamiya Iraqi society is quite proud of its different types of architecture and design. Their buildings have evolved and taken different shapes over Iraq's history. In the time of the Babylonian civilization, the City of Babylon was famous for not just its decadence, but also the manner in which the houses and other buildings were constructed. During the era of the Abbasid Dynasty the Caliphs built many sites that are still standing until this moment. Buildings such as Al-Mustansariya university and several mosques like Al-Malwiyah in Samarra, were built by the Abbasids. Certainly some of Iraq's most famous recent architectural marvels are the bizarre monuments built under Saddam Hussein's regime, ending with the unfinished "Great Mosque" whose minarets are shaped like Iraqi Scud missiles. The designs of houses vary widely across Iraq. You will find many different styles, likely there are more architectural styles than ethnic groups! A simple survey will uncover everything from houses made of mud and scrap metal to the most modern home designs. Most houses now share a similar design that is close to common Western designs. There are of course some differences in the way the houses look, and they have a certain Middle-Eastern flair of course. One of the rare architectural designs is called Shanasheel, "the hanging silk." This style of house was first found in the 1800s and early twentieth century. People first popularized this style in the city of Basra. This design depends greatly on wood and colored glass. After it became popular in Basra the design began to be used first in Baghdad and then in most Arabic countries. The Shanasheel design has been especially popular because it helps the house to stay cool in the Summer, while keeping warm in the Winter. Many Iraqi artists began including the Shanasheel design in their artwork, creating a specifically Iraqi traditional style. They included it in paintings or graffiti on the walls around Baghdad. Through this practice the art traveled to Europe and to other places far from Iraq. Due to the age of most of the houses, they are particularly susceptible to damage from bombings and mortar attacks. Because of this, many of the homes are particularly dangerous to live in today, due to a high risk of collapse.

Iraq, Baghdad - Neighborhoods in Baghdad such as Hay Al-Jama'a and Ameriyah had some stability and security side after the Sahwa took control of those neighborhoods, others were not that lucky and still face problems with security. There have been many rumors circulating about the Sahwa Councils, in particular, many Iraqis have begun to believe that some of the Sahwa members were previously members of Al-Qa'eda. These rumors have begun to increase suspicions about the Sahwa and Iraqi civilians have begun wondering whether they are really trying to help make neighborhoods safer or are just working for money. The US military were has blown up some house in neighborhoods such as Hay Al-Jama'a, a house sitting next to Baghdad Highway was blown up by the Sahwa and US forces. One neighbor living next to the destroyed house, who requested to remain anonymous, told Alive in Baghdad that the owner of this house were traveling abroad to Amman, Jordan and the house was destroyed without his knowledge. There were also rumors that this particular house was being used by Al-Qa'eda, although neighbors have said they were unsubstantiated. Another blast took place in Baghdad Al-Jadeeda, when US military blew up a building that belonged to a merchant who was traveling in Syria when his building was demolished, this according to a neighbor who asked to be known only by his first name, Abbas. Neighborhoods like Adhamiya face similar doubts about the Sahwa Councils as well. Although Adhamiya residents overall seemed to be generally happy about the appearance of the Sahwa and the re-establishment of security, there have been some mistakes. In Adhamiya the Sahwa found some suspicious cars in a parking lot next to an important medical clinic in Adhamiya. This clinic served much of Adhamiya and provided treatment to many patients with chronic diseases. According to the caretaker of the parking lot, some members of the Sahwa came to take the cars, which are believed to have been left by members of Al-Qa'eda. He asked them to check the cars first to see whether they belonged to someone, and after searching the cars they found many of the cars wired with bombs or storing weapons. When the Sahwa and US troops demolished the cars, there was an accident with destroyed much of the clinic as well as two generators belonging to local residents. Alive in Baghdad spoke with the caretaker of the lot and the director of the clinic to get their perspective on the impact of the Sahwa in Adhamiya. *** If you appreciate the insightful content provided by Alive in Baghdad, which you won t find anywhere else, please consider becoming a paying subscriber, or making a donation to Alive in Baghdad. You can also purchase Alive in Baghdad T-shirts and DVDs to spread the word!

Baghdad/Adhamiya, Iraq - After Al-Qa'eda controlled several places in Iraq such as Fallujah, Ramadi, and several neighborhoods in the west of Baghdad, there were many atrocities committed by Al-Qa'eda. This caused the people living in those areas to vehemently reject them. Some of the actions done by Al-Qa'eda were to ask the young men not to wear short trousers or colored T-shirts, or any other shirt with English writing. As for women in these regions, they demanded that they wear a headscarf, or a veil, and never go out of their houses without covering their head, and those who didn't obey the strict instructions were facing the threat of being beheaded, killed, or otherwise assassinated by the several militias that were controlled by Al-Qa'eda. The Sahwa Councils were first created in Anbar after some Iraqi tribes agreed to work together with the US forces against the actions of Al-Qa'eda, and in order to wipe out all the elements of Al-Qa'eda in their areas. The first Sahwa council was created under the leadership of Abu Risha. He claimed to organize the first Sahwa council in Anbar against Al-Qa'eda. After Abu Risha's example, other Iraqi tribes were inspired by his work and created Sahwa councils in their areas in order to eliminate Al-Qa'eda cells in their neighborhoods. Some of the areas where Sahwa councils were formed are Mosul, Kirkuk, Diyala, Tikrit, Hawr Rajab, and several neighborhoods in Baghdad, such as Ameriya, Adhamiya, Al-Khadra'a, and Ghazaliya. And what made those councils more dedicated to fighting Al-Qa'eda was the assassination of Abu Risha because they started to consider him a symbol of the fight Al-Qa'eda. The Sahwa Council in Adhamiya After assassinating a huge number of men in Adhamiya due to the things they wear or who they belong, few people agreed on creating a Sahwa council in Adhamiya in late 2007, the Sahwa council was lead by Reyad Al-Samarra'ie at the beginning, whom was assassinated by two suicide bombers in the north of Baghdad which killed 14 Sahwa members along with Reyad Al-Samarra'ie. After the murder of Al-Samarra'ie Abu Al-Abed was took the place of A-Samarra'ie as the leader of the Sahwa Council in Adhamiya, some families claimthat the situation calmed down in Adhamiya after the creation of the Sahwa council.

When they began erecting a wall in Adhamiya the public response was varied, in Iraq, in the US, indeed around the world. Some responded with shock, others with outrage, others wondered why it hadn t been tried before. Most importantly, there was a reaction, it was widespread, and strong. The press covered the issue of the wall repeatedly, with many papers writing multiple stories on the subject, extending over a period of months, some more. Unfortunately the images of the wall are few and far between. A Google image search reveals only 1,020 results for adhamiya wall, many of which are repeat images and many more are irrelevant to the search. Why has such an important event of the war and most recently the Surge, received so little visual coverage?After the initial excitement faded, there was little coverage of the impact of the wall, or of the other walls to follow. The economic impact of the wall received this weak commentary on September 20th, in a longer AP article about the Sunnis of Adhamiya turning to US soldiers for support.This week, after much delay, Abdul Alaa brings us inside the new Adhamiya, speaking with community leaders, demonstrators, and the average citizens of Adhamiya. As a new wall emerges west of the Tigris, insight into the impact of the wall over the last months is even more important. The wall, allegedly there to protect Shi a and Sunni from each other, has succeeded in walling a small Shi a community inside Ghazaliyah, an area known to harbor Sunni militants. Iraqis are already demonstrating in Ghazaliyah and Shula, although its unlikely to make much difference.When the wall in Adhamiya began, the Prime Minister himself demanded that it be removed, only to be corrected by the spokesman for Iraq s military and later recant his statement, there was even talk of modifying the wall although that idea appears to have been still-born.Today its unclear what the future of the surge in walls will be. It is uncertain how much success and stability they are providing. It is sure that they have been a rallying point for Iraqi nationalists and hard-liners alike. It is also sure that, if nothing else, they are putting dinars in the pockets of at least a few Iraqis. Alive in Baghdad is running low on funds. We depend on you the viewer for most of our support. Please, if you value this type of in-depth visual coverage that you can find nowhere else, become a paying subscriber today. Make a donation, or purchase a DVD!

At the end of July Oxfam released a report detailing the humanitarian crisis in Iraq. It was only the international community that needed this report, Iraqis know well how their country is falling apart around them. Neighborhoods such as Adhamiya lack even the most basic social services.Social services, such as water, electricity, and sanitation have been on the decline since the fall of Baghdad saw widespread looting and a general collapse of Baghdad s infrastructure. In areas that have seen ongoing fighting and a general lack of security, services have never fully recovered. Even in those areas that might have shown moderate repair previously, the flight of professionals and random destruction is removing any achievements.Now its been announced that Baghdad is again running out of water, but more desperately this time than ever before. Just days before this article, CBS reported on a drop of good news from American Steve Frost, who is helping to repair water pumps in one area of Baghdad but, by his own admission, once finished these pumps will only, be able to supply water to approximately 20 percent of the local area full time. In the baking summer heat, Iraqis take to sleeping on their roofs, electricity is too scarce to run air conditioners.Further highlighting the difficulties of life for men working on the garbage and sewage problems in Iraq, in July MSNBC described how, Nearly 500 garbage collectors have been killed since the Iraq war began. Many are young. Some are just teenagers. If that isn t hard enough to stomach, according to this commentary in the Daily Star, Dr. Abdul-Rahman Adil Ali of the Baghdad Health Directorate has warned about the serious consequences of a defective sewage system. In some of Baghdad s poor neighborhoods, he said, people drink water which is mixed with sewage. Alive in Baghdad will continue to work for you, providing insight into all manner of living in Baghdad. But we can only continue if you give us your support. We must maintain an array of staff in Iraq and the region in order to bring you a wide variety of in-depth stories about the Iraq crisis. Please make a donation and help us to continue.

As the threat of death squads continues, Iraqi civilians have taken security into their own hands. This week Isam Rasheed takes Alive in Baghdad viewers to Adhamiya, in the middle of the night, where three men guard a civilian checkpoint in the neighborhood.They'll tell you about their work, their hopes, and fears for their families.The US and Iraqi governments might call them terrorists, they consider themselves to be doing whats necessary to keep their homes safe.Please consider making a donation to continue this work. For information about donating email us at aliveinbaghdad@gmail.com or see the donation section of our website.

In this episode, Omar Abdullah takes you to an art gallery showing in Baghdad's Wazariyah neighborhood, which is located near the more well-known Adhamiya neighborhood, home of the Abu Hanifa Mosque.Mayada Ali discusses the impetus behind her work and sends a message to the American people. Some of the video is a bit jumpy, and perhaps the shots of art aren't as steady as you might desire.Omar is just learning, so please forgive his mistakes as you would any first-time video blogger!Alive in Baghdad has been totally funded by donations from our viewers. Now that we have correspondents working in Baghdad we must maintain a budget of about $3000.00 US per month, so if you appreciate the work our correspondents are doing, please consider making a donation to support them!visit http://aliveinbaghdad.org for more information about making a donation and to learn more about the project and the ongoing situation in Baghdad.