The "Baghdad Wall" is the name being given by some media outlets to a 5 km long (3 mile) separation barrier being built by the 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army around the predominantly Sunni district of Adhamiya in Baghdad, Iraq. Construction of the 3.6 m high (12 ft) concrete wall began on 10 April 2007. Separation barriers (separation walls, security fences) are constructed to limit the movement of people across a certain line or border or to separate two populations. ... The 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army was constituted in the National Army as the 82nd Division on March 5, 1917, and was organized on March 25, 1917, at Camp Gordon, Georgia. ... The United States Army is one of the armed forces of the United States and has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... Sunni Islam (Arabic سنّة) is the largest denomination of Islam. ... Baghdad (Arabic: ) is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate. ... A brick wall A wall is a usually solid structure that defines and sometimes protects an area. ... April 10 is the 100th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (101st in leap years). ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ...

Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, the senior spokesman for coalition forces in Iraq, was reportedly[1] unaware of the construction of the Baghdad wall, saying on 18 April 2007, "We have no intent to build gated communities in Baghdad. Our goal is to unify Baghdad, not subdivide it into separate [enclaves]." Major General William B. Caldwell IV is an American military officer who serves as chief spokesman and Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Effects for the Multi-National Force in Iraq. ... April 18 is the 108th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (109th in leap years). ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

However, a news release on the same day from the Multi-National Corps-Iraq announced that "the wall [in Adhamiyah] is one of the centerpieces of a new strategy by coalition and Iraqi forces to break the cycle of sectarian violence. Planners hope the creation of the wall will help restore law and order by providing a way to screen people entering and exiting the neighborhood — allowing residents and people with legitimate business in, while keeping death squads and militia groups out."

Dawood al-Azami, acting head of the Adhamiya council, said on 21 April that construction of the wall had begun before the council had approved the American proposal: "A few days ago, we met with the U.S. army unit in charge of Adhamiya and it asked us, as a local council, to sign a document to build a wall to reduce killing and attacks against Iraqi and U.S. forces. I told the soldiers that I would not sign it unless I could talk to residents first. We told residents at Friday prayers, but our local council hasn't signed onto the project yet, and construction is already under way."[2] April 21 is the 111th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (112th in leap years). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

On 22 April, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki called for the building work to cease. Subsequently, on 23 April, an estimated 7,000 Iraqis engaged in a peaceful demonstration against the wall, several carrying banners reading (in English) "No to the sectarian barrier." [3] April 22 is the 112th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (113th in leap years). ... Kingdom of Iraq (1921-1959) The Prime Minister of Iraq is Iraqs head of government. ... Nouri Kamel Mohammed Hassan al-Maliki (Arabic: نوري كامل المالكي, transliterated Nūrī Kāmil al-Mālikī; born c. ... April 23 is the 113th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (114th in leap years). ...

Following the demonstration, the U.S. military issued a statement that "the construction of the wall is under review" and that they would "coordinate with the Iraq government to establish effective appropriate security measures." However, at a news conference later on the same day, spokesmen for the U.S. and Iraqi military stated that they had no plans to stop building temporary separation barriers, with Brigadier General Qassim Atta describing the media reports that the Iraqi Prime Minister was protesting about as "groundless." The United States Army is one of the armed forces of the United States and has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... Separation barriers (separation walls, security fences) are constructed to limit the movement of people across a certain line or border or to separate two populations. ... A Brigadier General, or one-star general, is the lowest rank of general officer in the United States and some other countries, ranking just above Colonel and just below Major General. ...

At the news conference, Brigadier General Atta said: "The prime minister is in agreement with the work of the security forces and the issue of security barriers. We will continue to set up these barriers in Adhamiya and other areas." According to Atta, the barriers — which were to consist, he said, of sand barriers, trenches, barbed wire and concrete barriers constructed from moveable sections each weighing 7.1 tons (6.3 tonnes) — would be only a temporary measure, to secure specific areas of Baghdad, and would be moved once each area was considered secure.

External links

• Soldiers building wall separating Sunnis, Shiites Stars & Stripes, 19 April 2007
• Baghdad wall around Sunni enclave BBC News, 21 April 2007
• Sunnis Complain About Baghdad Wall Fox News, 21 April 2007
• Iraqi PM criticises Baghdad wall BBC News, 22 April 2007
• Security fences or barriers to peace? The Guardian, 24 April 2007