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A Baghdad Neighborhood Proud Of Resisting U.S. Forces

Monday, April 14, 2003
IslamOnline.net & News Agencies

Neighbors said that among the dead were some civilians and Iraqi troops but also "fedayeen," or "patriots," from Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. "The fedayeen came from outlying neighborhoods because they knew people here would be more supportive," said Riyad Abdullah, a spice merchant. But the Arab volunteers failed to understand their guns and grenades were no match for U.S. firepower. Estimates are that up to 30 people died here Thursday.



"We were pleased to see the neighborhood resist, but we suffered, and many didn't stay here because of the air strikes. Now we've got to return to normal," Abdullah concluded.



BAGHDAD, Iraq -- IO
As riots are breaking on regular basis by Iraqi prisoners of war, sparking questions about the destiny of thousand of POWs, a Baghdad neighborhood residents sounded their pride for meeting U.S. soldiers with fiery resistance rather than roses.

Aadhamiyah District, in the northwest of the Baghdad, was the scene of a day-long battle Thursday that, according to residents, pitted U.S. forces, fresh from their triumphant tour of central Baghdad the day before, against a dedicated mini-army of Iraqis and Arab volunteers.

Caught in the crossfire, the Sunni mosque of Abu Hanifa bore the scars. The minaret was nearly cracked in two from the tank fire, according to AFP.

More than 20 "martyrs" are buried under the olive trees outside the Abu Hanifa mosque, the name of each slipped into Pepsi bottles stuck in the ground, reported the AFP.

The Aadhamiyah neighborhood, resident Faisal Sayed Jafar noted proudly, did not give a warm reception to U.S. troops.

"We're the only part of Baghdad that didn't welcome the American soldiers with flowers," he said with a smile. "Of course, we paid a price."
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