Haifa Street
Encyclopedia
Haifa Street is a two mile long street
in Baghdad
, Iraq
. Along with Yafa Street (named after the port city of Jaffa
), it runs southeast to the Assassin's Gate, an archway
that served as the main entrance to the American-run Green Zone
during the 2003 invasion of Iraq
, paralleling the Tigris river. It was named "Haifa" in the 1980s by Saddam Hussein
in honor of the port city of Haifa
. The street is lined with many high-rise building
s.
Prior to the 1990-1991 gulf war
, the British Embassy in Iraq was located on Haifa Street.
ing on Haifa Street killed 47. American troops stationed in Baghdad at the time, C Company, 1/153 IN of the Arkansas Army National Guard, which was attached to Task Force 1/9, dubbed the street "Purple Heart Boulevard". On December 24, 2004 U.S. Soldiers from B Co. 3/325th AIR of the 82d Airborne Division in taking over a palace, later dubbed Predator Palace, and made it the 3/325th A.I.R. home for 4 months. During this time the paratroopers performed combat missions to assist weeding out the enemy. Ultimately the efforts of B Co. 3/325 AIR, made Haifa Street a safer place. By mid-2005 there were reports that conditions on Haifa Street had calmed, and control of the street was turned over to Iraqi forces in February of 2006 but as of early 2007 the street remained riddled with insurgent hideouts. Fifty people were killed in a US-led operation
there on January 9, 2007 and another thirty were killed on January 24.
Street
A street is a paved public thoroughfare in a built environment. It is a public parcel of land adjoining buildings in an urban context, on which people may freely assemble, interact, and move about. A street can be as simple as a level patch of dirt, but is more often paved with a hard, durable...
in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. Along with Yafa Street (named after the port city of Jaffa
Jaffa
Jaffa is an ancient port city believed to be one of the oldest in the world. Jaffa was incorporated with Tel Aviv creating the city of Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel. Jaffa is famous for its association with the biblical story of the prophet Jonah.-Etymology:...
), it runs southeast to the Assassin's Gate, an archway
Arch
An arch is a structure that spans a space and supports a load. Arches appeared as early as the 2nd millennium BC in Mesopotamian brick architecture and their systematic use started with the Ancient Romans who were the first to apply the technique to a wide range of structures.-Technical aspects:The...
that served as the main entrance to the American-run Green Zone
Green Zone
The Green Zone is the most common name for the International Zone of Baghdad. It is a area of central Baghdad, Iraq, that was the governmental center of the Coalition Provisional Authority and remains the center of the international presence in the city...
during the 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
, paralleling the Tigris river. It was named "Haifa" in the 1980s by Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
in honor of the port city of Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
. The street is lined with many high-rise building
Building
In architecture, construction, engineering, real estate development and technology the word building may refer to one of the following:...
s.
Prior to the 1990-1991 gulf war
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
, the British Embassy in Iraq was located on Haifa Street.
During the American invasion of Iraq
Haifa Steet was the location of the June 2004 Operation Haifa Street, and the September 2004 Haifa Street helicopter incident, in which a helicopter fired on a burning American Bradley Fighting Vehicle and killed 12 civilians, including journalist Mazen al-Tumeizi. Two days later a massive car bombCar bomb
A car bomb, or truck bomb also known as a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device , is an improvised explosive device placed in a car or other vehicle and then detonated. It is commonly used as a weapon of assassination, terrorism, or guerrilla warfare, to kill the occupants of the vehicle,...
ing on Haifa Street killed 47. American troops stationed in Baghdad at the time, C Company, 1/153 IN of the Arkansas Army National Guard, which was attached to Task Force 1/9, dubbed the street "Purple Heart Boulevard". On December 24, 2004 U.S. Soldiers from B Co. 3/325th AIR of the 82d Airborne Division in taking over a palace, later dubbed Predator Palace, and made it the 3/325th A.I.R. home for 4 months. During this time the paratroopers performed combat missions to assist weeding out the enemy. Ultimately the efforts of B Co. 3/325 AIR, made Haifa Street a safer place. By mid-2005 there were reports that conditions on Haifa Street had calmed, and control of the street was turned over to Iraqi forces in February of 2006 but as of early 2007 the street remained riddled with insurgent hideouts. Fifty people were killed in a US-led operation
Battle of Haifa Street
The Battle of Haifa Street was a battle fought during January 2007 for the control of Haifa Street, a two-mile-long street in downtown Baghdad, Iraq, pitting American and Iraqi Army forces against various Sunni insurgent forces between January 6 and January 9, 2007 , and then two weeks later on...
there on January 9, 2007 and another thirty were killed on January 24.