Life in the sprawling Iraqi capital is a dangerous, ever-changing proposition. Each neighborhood's experience under the security plan has been distinct, ranging from relative calm to extreme peril.
IraqSlogger's exclusive eyewitness sources took in their city today, recording snapshots of what they observed.
Iron Bars in the Golden Square
In Hay Al-'Amil’s mixed area known as the Golden Square, armed groups are not allowed in. Neither the Mahdi Army nor Sunni militants have been able to operate there recently, as locals put iron barriers on the main streets in hopes of keeping their area safe.
Raids Continue
While some areas of Baghdad are calm, house-to-house searching and deadly attacks continue in others. American forces conducted several raids in Baghdad al-Jadida. In the Sha'ab area, IEDs are a particular danger, even though the US is patrolling for them. US forces have stationed snipers on many buildings in the area.
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Snipers in the Trunk
Two snipers were apprehended in Bab al-Sharqi. One of them is a Sudanese man, who would hit American soldiers from a slot he had opened in his garbage truck. The other apprehended sniper worked in a family partnership. He would hide in the trunk of his brother’s car using a handgun with a silencer to snipe at Iraqi police while his brother drove through crowded areas.
National Guard 1, Mahdi Army 0
In Sadr City, an altercation involving a member of the Mahdi Army and an Iraqi National Guard officer didn’t turn out well for the militia. The Mahdi Army member confronted the officers at a National Guard checkpoint, telling them that the neighborhood didn't want any protection from the Guard. A National Guard officer told the Mahdi Army man that they would remove the checkpoint if the people of the area didn’t want them there. The people who had gathered around the checkpoint grew angry with that idea, telling the Mahdi Army man in harsh language to keep quiet, and apologizing to the officer. The checkpoint stayed in place.
Murder in Mansour
In the Dawudi area of Mansour, a Shi'a ironsmith from Washash was called in to fix a house door. He loaded the door into his truck to take back to his shop for repairs. A car with two gunmen inside shot him dead before he could leave the area.
Harthiya's Brush with Death
In Harthiya, the street was closed because a car bomb was discovered in the main street. The area has started to see some activity in recent days, with more people coming out to shop. An unknown group seemed not to like that, so they parked a Toyota Super on the busy streets, packed with 35 RPG shells and 4 anti-tank mines. The explosives did not detonate.
