Baghdad AD 2007 is a tightly woven amalgam of hostility and hatred. The Iraqi capital is divided between Shia and Sunni dominated areas, with the mixed districts regularly witnessing the most ruthless sectarian fighting. A deadly mixture of kidnappings, torture, death squads, fake checkpoints and suicide attacks paints the picture of a city drowning in fear, while the Shia majority and former Sunni rulers struggle for control. The average body count reaches between 50 and 100 victims per day, and in the summer months freezer trucks park in front of the city morgue. According to UNHCR, about 12% of Iraqis have abandoned their homes as a result of sectarian threats, murders, and murder attempts–at least 1.9 million people have been internally displaced, and 2 million people have fled Iraq as refugees.
The Iraqi Police forces trying to contain the situation with the help of American military are facing a difficult task – they are often understaffed, short on resources and overwhelmed by the sheer volume of killings. At the same time, they are targeted by insurgency groups, who see them as collaborators and mount attacks on Police facilities and recruiting stations.