Residents describe life as ‘hell’ in Haifa Street

Hayder Amran

Azzaman, January 20, 2007

Life is turning into ‘hell’ for residents of Haifa Street and the surrounding quarters.

Residents said the area was under siege by Iraqi and U.S. troops and scores of innocent civilians have been either killed or injured as a result of the ongoing clashes.

U.S. and Iraqi troops have besieged the street and several other adjacent districts. The operation is seen as a prelude to a massive military push against Baghdad by Iraqi and U.S. troops.

“The area has become hell for its inhabitants. We have become hostages of the armed groups and Iraqi and U.S. troops,” said Saad Jassem, a resident Rahmaniya district close to Haifa.

Haifa Street is lined with modern high rises which former leader Saddam Hussein built to ease the city’s housing crisis.

But it is situated amid slum-like quarters mainly inhabited by low-income people.

Armed men have fortified themselves in some of these high rises as well as the streets of the impoverished districts of Fahama, Sheik Ali and Al-Fadhl.

“Many innocent people have been killed and it is dangerous to move around. Several passers-by have died also as a result of fighting,” added Jassem.

Analysts say Iraqi and U.S. troops are using Haifa Street as a test to assess the effectiveness of their imminent campaign to retake Baghdad.

But the drive against Haifa which started almost a week ago has failed to regain the area and drive out the fighters.

Snipers are still present in several high rises and armed groups mount daily attacks on Iraqi and U.S. military personnel.

The areas where the fighting is taking place are the closet to the U.S.-protected Green Zone the only place with relative safety in Baghdad.

U.S. military commanders and civil administrators as well members of the Iraqi government reside there.

Mohammed Saadi said U.S. helicopter gun ships and war planes are sent it to support the troops.

“Shops are closed and people are afraid to leave their homes.

“Sometimes fighting is so intense that it becomes very dangerous to go out and collect the corpses of armed groups, military personnel or innocent civilians,” he said.