VZCZCXRO4549
OO RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #3332/01 2510613
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 080613Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6755
INFO RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 003332 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PINR IZ
SUBJECT: BAGHDAD'S DISTRICTS: A PRIMER 
 
¶1. (U) Baghdad is home to nearly one-fourth of Iraq's 27 
million residents, and the city is bisected north-to-south by 
the Tigris river.  Administratively, it has nine urban 
districts.  The following is a primer on those districts. 
 
Karadah: Beverly Hills of Baghdad 
--------------------------------- 
¶2. (SBU) Considered one of the safest districts, Karadah 
District is located east of the Tigris in south-central 
Baghdad.  Historically home to well-established Baghdad 
families, it is ethnically heterogeneous, with densely 
populated Shia neighborhoods near the river and Christian and 
Sunni neighborhoods farther east. Home to many current and 
former government elites (including President Talabani and 
Shia Coalition leader Abd al-Aziz al-Hakim), academics, and 
professionals, it is known as one of the major high-end 
shopping areas in the city.  Many well-educated merchants and 
traders with upper-middle class incomes also live in the 
district. With its reputation as a safe area, Karadah has 
seen a large influx of individuals, especially Shia.  Baghdad 
University is also located in this district.  In contrast to 
the up-scale neighborhoods on the river, Zafaraniyah area in 
the east is populated by lower-income Sunnis who work 
principally in agriculture.  Sunnis from other areas in 
Baghdad have migrated to Zafaraniyah, where security 
incidents occur frequently. 
 
Karkh: Popular and with a View of the IZ 
---------------------------------------- 
¶3. (SBU) West of the Tigris in the center of Baghdad, Karkh 
District is the smallest of Baghdad's districts, and the 
International Zone (IZ) takes up approximately one-third of 
the its total area.  The district is traditionally known for 
its large green spaces and its outdoor amusement parks, many 
of which remain closed to the public.  One of the oldest 
parts of the city, the district is predominantly Sunni, but 
also has a significant Shia population.  Residents have 
widely varying incomes.  With its aging infrastructure, it 
has serious problems with electricity supply and water 
distribution.  Considered a relatively safe district, it was 
once a major commercial center and still houses the majority 
of the government's office buildings.  (NOTE: Baghdad 
residents sometimes refer to the entire west bank of the 
Tigris as Karkh. END NOTE.) 
 
Al Mansour: Educated, Secular, and Deserted 
------------------------------------------- 
¶4. (SBU) In the northwest of the city, the eastern section of 
Al Mansour District has the reputation for being an 
upper-crust Sunni area.  Generally well-educated and secular, 
many of the district's residents are professionals and 
technocrats.  Western Al Mansour, in contrast, has lower 
income residents, many of whom work in agriculture.  This 
area has persisting infrastructure and security challenges. 
Since the Najaf uprising in May 2004 and then increasing 
after the mosque bombing in Samarra in February 2006, 
residents, particularly Sunnis, have been leaving the 
district.  Many of the shops and business in the area are 
closed.  With several Baghdad Security Plan (BSP) focus 
areas, the district has recently regained some life with the 
improving security and return of municipal services.  Of 
note, Baghdad International Airport and Abu Ghuraib Palace 
are located on the western edge of the district.  The areas 
of Ameriya, Ghazaliya, and Yarmouk are also within Al Mansour 
District. 
 
Al Rasheed: Southern and Diverse 
-------------------------------- 
¶5. (SBU) Located in the southern area of the city, Al Rasheed 
District is geographically the largest district in Baghdad. 
It is populated primarily by Sunnis, with some Shia and 
Christian pockets.  Considered a dangerous area, the district 
has seen many residents depart since 2003.  The district has 
some housing developments dating back to the early 1900's and 
other relatively new ones from the 1980's.  A generally 
middle-class area, it was known as one of the popular places 
for the former regime's military officials to live.  With the 
commencement of BSP initiatives in Al Rasheed, the security 
situation has improved markedly.  The areas of Masafee, Al 
Doura, and Zubaida are located in Al Rasheed. 
 
Adhamiya: Divided by More than a Canal 
-------------------------------------- 
¶6. (SBU) Adhamiya District is located in the northern part of 
Baghdad, east of the Tigris.  It is divided by the Army 
Canal, with Sunnis living to the west and Shias residing in 
 
BAGHDAD 00003332  002 OF 002 
 
 
the east.  The district was once considered one of the 
up-scale neighborhoods in the city, but has been in decline 
because of violence.  Many shops and banks remain closed, but 
the recent improvement in security through BSP initiatives 
has increased street and commercial traffic.  Representative 
of the district's deep sectarian divide, the Sunnis in the 
western half are often considered Sunni hard-liners, and the 
Shia in eastern Adhamiya identify with the more militant Shia 
of Sadr City, which located to the east of the district.  The 
areas of Waziriya, Shaab, and Ur are located in Adhamiya. 
 
Kadhamiya: Insular and Shia 
--------------------------- 
¶7. (SBU) Kadhamiya District is the Shia heart of the city, 
with its nearly 100 percent Shia population and the 
religiously important Musa Kadham Mosque.  Considered a safe 
area for its Shia residents, the district is populated by a 
mixture of upper-middle and working class individuals who are 
generally considered fairly close-minded.  The district has 
recently seen an influx of Shia families from other parts of 
the city and country.  With both commercial and residential 
centers, most residents do not travel outside the district. 
The areas of Shula and Nur are located in Kadhamiya. 
 
Sadr City: Shia Town 
-------------------- 
¶8. (SBU) Home to many of the militant Shia, Sadr City 
District (formerly known as Saddam City) was a rigidly 
planned community built in the north of the city in the early 
1960's by former President Abdul Karim Al Kasem.  Home to 
approximately two million residents, it is by far the city's 
most densely populated district.  Historically, the residents 
have a reputation for having low-levels of income and 
education, and the district has a reputation for being 
lawless and insular.  A safe-haven for Shia, the district has 
seen an influx of Shia from other areas of the city. 
Dominated by its residential blocks, Sadr City has very 
little industry or agricultural activity, making it dependent 
on the rest of the city for employment and commercial 
activity. 
 
Rusafa: The Commercial Center 
----------------------------- 
¶9. (SBU) East of the Tigris in the center of the city, Rusafa 
District is predominately populated by Shia Arabs and Shia 
Kurds.  It is the largest and most significant commercial 
center in Baghdad and has comparatively few residential 
complexes.  The elite neighborhoods near the river 
notwithstanding, Rusafa's residents generally have low-levels 
of education and work as traders and labors.  (NOTE: Baghdad 
residents sometime refer to the entire east bank of the 
Tigris as Rusafa. END NOTE.) 
 
9 Nisan: Rural with a Bit of Everyone 
------------------------------------- 
¶10. (SBU) Located in eastern Baghdad, 9 Nisan is 
predominately Shia, but has insular pockets of Sunnis, 
Christians, and Palestinians.  The levels of education and 
standards of living vary greatly across the district. 
Plagued by severe infrastructure problems, the area has faced 
significant challenges maintaining its agricultural industry, 
the mainstay of the district.  Bordering on Sadr City, 9 
Nissan is heavily influenced by events to the north.  The 
area of Baladiat is located in 9 Nisan. 
KHALILZAD