Sadr City
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Sadr City (formerly known as Saddam City and Al Thawra) is a vast low-income neighbourhood in northeastern Baghdad, home to some two million Shi'a Muslims. It is the seat of power of Muqtada al-Sadr, its de facto ruler and son of its namesake, Ayatollah Mohammad Sadeq al-Sadr.
After suffering a variety of ill effects under the government of Saddam Hussein (a Sunni), Shi'as in the district claimed a degree of autonomy from the rest of Iraq after the fall of Baghdad in April 2003, with their own police force, clinics, and food distribution. At the same time, the city was unofficially renamed Sadr City.
The landmark of Sadr City is undoubtedly the large municipal building; which was reportedly ordered constructed for Saddam Hussein, who gave a single speech from its balcony and never returned to either the building or the city again. The building was nearly destroyed by looters in 2003, but the US military restored the structure at a cost of $30,000 and granted it to the city’s 30-member district advisory council to convene meetings.
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2003 Invasion of Iraq
A temporary US base, Camp Marlboro, was set up at the Iraqi cigarette factory in Sadr City, headquartering the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment's 800 members plus an additional 120 military police of the 549th Military Police Company; all in an attempt to quell the violence of Sadr City.
2004
On June 25, the Mahdi Army enacted a cease-fire with US troops, and offered to help repair and rebuild the city's main infrastructure which was leaving millions without electricity, water or sewage.
On October 10, the base was hit by three mortars launched from within the city, which saw the US beef up security and attach an additional 28 tanks and 14 Bradley Fighting Vehicles to the camp.
The following day, on October 11, the Weapons Handover Program began in the city, which was designed to purchase weapons off militants
2005
On May 15, the bodies of 13 Iraqis were discovered in a shallow grave, each blindfolded, tied and shot multiple times in the back of the head. They had been hastily buried in a vacant lot.
On May 18, gunmen shot and killed Ali Mutib Sakr, a Transport Ministry driver.
On May 23, a carbomb exploded outside a crowded restaurant, killing eight Iraqis and wounding an additional 89. [1] (http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/05/24/news/iraq.php)
Saddam City was also the name given by the Iraqi government to Kuwait City during the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait in 1990-1991.
See also
External links
- The Globe and Mail article on Saddam City (http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20030414.wshee414/BNStory/International/)
- Sadr City on GlobalSecurity.org (http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iraq/sadr-city.htm)