Iraqis At Prayer In Sadr City, Baghdad

Sadr City is one of the capital’s longstanding Shiite communities. Located in northeastern Baghdad, it was originally called Al Thawra, Revolution, and then Saddam City until the fall of the dictator in 2003. Then it was changed to Sadr City after Ayatollah Mohammed Sadiq al-Sadr, Moqtada al-Sadr’s father. It is one of the poorest districts of Baghdad. After 2003 it became a base for Sadr and his Mahdi Army, and the scene of fierce fighting in 2008 between Iraqi and U.S. forces and militiamen. Today, every Friday men can be seen inside and outside mosques doing their prayers as most do in the rest of Iraq.

One man out of sync during Friday prayers amongst Sadrists, Sadr City, Baghdad, May 11, 2012 (AP)

More Sadrists during Friday prayers May 11, 2012 (AP)

Another group of men at prayer in Sadr City, May 4 (Getty Images)

A young boy and older men at Friday service May 4 (Getty Images)

Followers of Moqtada al-Sadr at Friday's prayers in Sadr City May 18 (Getty Images)

More from the May 18 prayers (Getty Images)

Two men trying to stay out of the heat in Sadr City on May 18, sitting up against a wall with portraits of Moqtada al-Sadr (right) and his father Ayatollah Mohammed Sadiq al-Sadr (left) behind them (Getty Images)

SOURCES

Encyclopedia Britannica, “Baghdad”

Global Security, “Sadr City (Saddam City/Al Thawra) Baghdad, Iraq”