A Battlefield Tourist

Returning Home

Oct 17 at 7:07pm by David

While on a visit to the local Iraqi Patrol Base just inside Mahmudiyah, the Americans were given some information concerning the return of Sunni refugees that had fled sectarian violence earlier in the year.The reports indicated that at least six families had decided to return home to a small Sunni enclave on the city’s northern side. By September 2007 most Sunnis had been chased from the predominately Shia city, part of “South Baghdad”, which lies just 18 miles south of Baghdad itself. Above is an Iraqi boy who has just returned to a destroyed home. His family’s burned out van is in the background.

When we first pulled up, the area was seemingly secured by Iraqi Army units from the Baghdad Eagle Brigade. This was interesting because of the pervasive stories about the Iraqi Army’s inability to see across sectarian lines. As we approached the first home, we met this woman and her male relatives. There was also a number of young ladies farther back. She told Lt. Cleveland of the destruction left behind after they ran for their lives some months before.

This Sunni man was one of the few fighting aged males that returned to the neighborhood. Lt Cleveland spent a good 15 minutes talking with him while Tom and Jerry cartoons played quietly in the background. It was the only home in this family area that was even remotely inhabitable and the only one with electricity. The young Lieutenant tried to get as much information as he could for a report expected back at battalion.

After passing through the old woman’s home, we walked into a small roadway/alley. This home was the first home on my right. Shortly after this picture, this boy’s father invited me in to take pictures of the destruction left behind by the Jaish al-Madhi militia.

This is what four of five homes I saw looked like. At least half of those were also burned. Near the end of the visit, a man was trying to give Lt. Cleveland some information on possible assailants, but every time an Iraqi soldier came near, he would clam up. I also tried to over hear the conversation until the translator looked up at Lt. Cleveland and told him the man would only speak to the Lieutenant. I got the drift, apologized and stepped back.

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