Update On 'Iraq Bloodbath' Post ...

Erdla, who we highlighted as a hardworking 'Guides' team member in our last post has at least 'some' good news to share with us all today.

So as to avoid any reader missing Erdla's comment (re;recent related comment facility problems), we are republishing her most welcome communication of earlier today -- in it's unedited entirety.

If ever any comment on this blog should be singled out as special enough to merit special 'stand alone' status - surely this is it.

Erdla wrote today, as follows:

Thanks Richard MFI is in Irak at present everybody is pretty shaken.

To give you and your readers some idea of what life is like in Irak. Du is just back from Irak having been sent there from Afghanistan and got to hold his twin sons for the first time, sometimes life is good. Days like today make really know that he and I are so fortunate.

We are especially upset for Mohammed Ibn Laith who wrote the account of what it is like to be at a bombing that I have linked to at his name.

Mohammed is 16. His father was Laith Abu Mohammed known as "Laith the Imam" who used to write on "Guides".

Laith Abu Mohammed died in the
Arbaeen massacres of March 6th. His mother Zeynab Um Mohammed died of her wounds
incurred in the same attack on March 7th.

Hussayn Ibn Laith died a few days before his parents as he ran with his team to the scene of a bombing to rescue survivors - it was what we call a "cascade" bombing attack. - More than one bomb placed in the same location the second one being timed to kill the rescuers and or people fleeing the scene.

Hussayn was the brother who Mohammed mentions in "what will we talk about." He was 17. His brother Ali Ibn Laith is 8, he was wounded in the attack in which his parents were killed and again yesterday. Fatima their sister had the day before yesterday finished taking her end-of-first-year university exams.

The good news is that Ali, Fatima, and Mohammed, were all sent home from Imam Ali hospital last night after some hours being treated for their wounds.

I'll echo Gordo's and yours suggestion the Red Cross or Red Crescent as it is in Muslim lands is the only body working everywhere in Irak and outside it too for the victims of this evil and disastrous war.

They're rigorously non-sectarian and have been targeted repeatedly as a result. But they keep on going. Today is "world refugee day" maybe your readers would like to mark the ocassion.

At the link below to the International Committee of The Red Cross you can choose which programme you want to give to.Step 1: Choose the programme you wish to support.

Thanks for caring and writing.

Erdla Jonsdottir
Gorilla’s Guides

*** And thank you and your caring colleagues, Erdla.

Please let all concerned know that our thoughts are with them.

*

Bringing The Bloodbath That Is Iraq Much Closer To Home ...

Regular readers are already well aware of our blogging mates Mark, Dubhaltach, Erdla and other members of the tireless team inside Iraq running the 'Gorrila's Guides' blog -- including Zeynab, Hassan, Ali, Fatima, and Mohammed.

This morning, another of our best blogging buddies, Gordo, at 'Appletree' sadly became a bearer of bloody bad news.

Real, bloody bad news.

You know, 'bloody' in the sense shown in this Iraq street corner shot.


And 'bloody' as shown in this sickening photo still, shot inside an Iraq hospital.


Gordo's got some suggestions as to how best all those so inclined can show some personal support -- both moral and/or actual.

Gordo also gives us this.

The crew at Gorilla’s Guides, many of them workers for relief organizations in Iraq, have done an outstanding job of drawing attention to the chaos that has engulfed the country, and the plight of the refugees.

*