Dora, Baghdad

Dora (also al-Dura, or ad-Durah, Arabic,الدورة) is a neighborhood in Al Rashid administrative district, southern Baghdad, Iraq. Although this was a majority Christian neighborhood, it became controlled by Sunni Muslim Extremists during the Iraq War. They started ethnic cleansing of the neighborhood in 2006-2007, driving out or forcing conversions and confiscating or attacking property. Hundreds of Christian, Shia and Mandaic families have fled since late 2006 due to de facto Islamist Sunni control of the area. It became an al-Qaeda stronghold as affiliated foreign Islamic fighters entered the country after 2004. United States soldiers once called it "the most dangerous place in Iraq" until they were driven out.

In the early morning of March 19, 2003, Dora became the target of the air assault by U.S. forces during the invasion of Iraq. The attempted assassination of Saddam Hussein and his sons Uday and Qusay failed, but resulted in the death of one civilian and injuries to fourteen others, including one child. (see )

In April 2004 the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division operating as motorized infantry was assigned the task of operations in the al-Dora neighborhood. It encountered al-Qaida-affiliated Muslims and fought a pitched battle immediately upon taking over control of this sector from 2-504 PIR, 82nd Airborne Division and 1-94 FA, DIVARTY, 1st Armored Division. The unit sustained four KIA during its ensuing counter insurgency operations there, but were able to stop al-Qaida control over the region until its departure in March 2005. In 2009 the Battalion was recently awarded the U.S. Army's Valorous Unit award for its actions in al-Dora.

In 2005, 1-184 IN Battalion(AASLT), California National Guard, took responsibility of Dora. The 184th was attached to 4th BCT, 3ID. The battalion sector also included such hot spots as Arab Jabour and Hora Jeb. The battalion struggled with such a large area of operations,a sector that the unit they replaced had all but stopped patrolling months before their arrival, yet was recognized for it's accomplishments which included the highest arrest rate of insurgents of any unit during 2005, guarding polling sites for both elections in 2005, and their execution of Operation Clean Sweep spoken of by President George Bush in his State of the Union address 2006. The battalion commander was relieved of his command due to actions of soldiers under his command and replaced by LTC William Wood, an active LTC from 2 BCT, 3ID. COL Cardon, the 4th BCT commander also sent CPT Michael McKinnon to assume command of Alpha Company 184th.The 184th Regiment was later awarded the U.S. Army's Valorous Unit Award for their actions in Al-Dora. The 184th lost 18 soldiers in their 12 months in Al Dora. COL Cardon sent CPT Dave Anderson along with his armor company (Charlie Co, 4-64 AR) to take responsibility of the Arab Jabour sector. Both LTC Wood and CPT McKinnon would be killed by IEDs several months after arriving. Charlie 4-64 suffered several KIAs including 1SG Alan Gifford. CPT Anderson and many of his soldiers were wounded in action in their fight to contain al-Qa'ida fighters and Iraqi Sunni insurgents. Charlie Company 4-64 moved from FOB Falcon to establish and occupy OP Thorn in the heart of Arab Jabour. There they fought daily battles for several months against direct and indirect Sunni insurgent attacks. The tank company held OP Thorn until relieved by the 2/506 IN, 101st Airborne in January 2006. The 506th could not cover the entire sector and it again fell into the hands of al-Qa'ida fighters.

By May 2007, Dora was receiving mainstream media attention as a hornet's nest of sectarian violence, particularly for Islamic anti-Christian violence. Christians were seen as 'soft targets' who would either pay or leave Dora rather than retaliate.

The US expected to remove its troops from Dora by the end of 2009. BBC reported that the U.S. army and the Iraqi public were concerned about what would happen if they left. On May 21, 2009, three US soldiers were killed by an IED while on foot patrol in Dora. On 8 December 2009, a suicide bomber blew himself up outside a technical college, wounding several students and killing several policeman on patrol. It was a co-ordinated attack, part of the 8 December 2009 Baghdad bombings which killed over 100 people, and wounded over 400.

References

Dora