Al-Aaimmah bridge
Encyclopedia
The Al-Aaimmah bridge is a bridge over the river Tigris
in the Iraq
i capital of Baghdad
. The bridge links the areas of Adhamiya, which is a majority Sunni Arab
area, from its East bank with the Shia area of Kadhimiya on its west.
It was the place of a deadly stampede
on 31 August 2005 when hundreds of Shiite pilgrims were crushed. The stampede caused the railings to give way, allowing hundreds to fall to their deaths in the river. The bridge had been closed for the three months prior to the incident.
Although Adhamiyah has been the site of many clashes between Iraqi insurgents and US forces as well as tensions between Shia security forces and Sunni residents, in September 2005, the residents of Adhamiyah were credited with saving hundreds of Shia lives.
Shia pilgrims who were caught in a stampede on "the Imams bridge" (Al-Aaimmah bridge), coming from the opposing shore of Kadhimiyah, began jumping from the bridge in an attempt to escape the crush, only to face drowning in the Tigris
below. Adhamiyah residents dove into the waters, pulling hundreds of Shia's to the shore, where their fellow residents transported them to hospitals and mosques, in some cases using the mattresses from their own beds as makeshift stretchers.
The bridge was reopened on November 11, 2008.
Tigris
The Tigris River is the eastern member of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia, the other being the Euphrates. The river flows south from the mountains of southeastern Turkey through Iraq.-Geography:...
in the Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
i capital of Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
. The bridge links the areas of Adhamiya, which is a majority Sunni Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
area, from its East bank with the Shia area of Kadhimiya on its west.
It was the place of a deadly stampede
Baghdad bridge stampede
The 2005 Baghdad bridge stampede occurred on August 31, 2005 when 953 people died following a stampede on Al-Aaimmah bridge, which crosses the Tigris river in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad.-The stampede:...
on 31 August 2005 when hundreds of Shiite pilgrims were crushed. The stampede caused the railings to give way, allowing hundreds to fall to their deaths in the river. The bridge had been closed for the three months prior to the incident.
Although Adhamiyah has been the site of many clashes between Iraqi insurgents and US forces as well as tensions between Shia security forces and Sunni residents, in September 2005, the residents of Adhamiyah were credited with saving hundreds of Shia lives.
Shia pilgrims who were caught in a stampede on "the Imams bridge" (Al-Aaimmah bridge), coming from the opposing shore of Kadhimiyah, began jumping from the bridge in an attempt to escape the crush, only to face drowning in the Tigris
Tigris
The Tigris River is the eastern member of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia, the other being the Euphrates. The river flows south from the mountains of southeastern Turkey through Iraq.-Geography:...
below. Adhamiyah residents dove into the waters, pulling hundreds of Shia's to the shore, where their fellow residents transported them to hospitals and mosques, in some cases using the mattresses from their own beds as makeshift stretchers.
The bridge was reopened on November 11, 2008.