Wounded

Farah Nosh

Getty Images / TIME Magazine / The New York Times

Haidar Samir Ahmed: Civilian, American gunfire. Haidar Samir Ahmed (age 17, b.1981), at home with his younger sister Athra (9yrs.old) in the Karradat Mariam district of Baghdad. Injured on April 11, 2003, by American gunfire resulting in an arm amputation. “The Americans fired a rocket; my arm was lost. I was home alone because my parents were in Al-Jihad staying with family, and I stayed here to watch over our apartment. I didn’t have food to eat so I was going to get some. I didn’t know what the situation had become on the streets. After I was hit, somebody picked me up and dropped me off at Al-Kindi hospital. I don’t see out of my left eye, they said they couldn’t do anything for it. I have spent over 2 million Dinars (approx $1400USD) on surgeries and medical care.” Haidar lives in Karradat Mariam, just meters away from the Green Zone, Saddam’s former Presidential Palace, it was a district that was heavily hit during the war in 2003. Haidar’s father died from an illness before the war began in 2003. Haidar is the eldest of eight. He has one brother and six younger sisters. His mother says that Haidar is “sick with anger” especially towards his brother Ahmed, as he is jealous that Ahmed has both his arms. The two brothers have not spoken for two years. Being the eldest son and with no father, Haidar deals with shame in not being able to care for his family. Haidar’s mother sells soda, chips and cigarettes to local neighbors from her apartment to try to make ends meet. From time to time, Haidar tells his mother that he wants to commit suicide, often asking her,

Farah Nosh, "Wounded," in POYi Archive, Item #46170, http://archive.poy.org/items/show/46170 (accessed November 21, 2024).