More Shi'ites, Sunnis are trading spaces (Violence spurs house swaps) [View All]

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http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060831/NEWS07/608310437/1009

More Shi'ites, Sunnis are trading spaces

Violence sparks moves in Baghdad

BY NANCY A. YOUSSEF and LAITH HAMMOUDI
MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS

August 31, 2006

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Mohammed al-Taie's family had lived in Haswa on Baghdad's outskirts for 50 years.

But two months ago, after months of dismissing death threats, Taie's brother was kidnapped, and the Shi'ite Muslim family's 34 members decided it was time to leave their beloved, but mostly Sunni, neighborhood.

So, with the help of a neighbor, they found a Sunni family living in the predominantly Shi'ite neighborhood of Shula and agreed to swap houses.

Such swaps are becoming more common as Iraqis find themselves searching for ways to avoid becoming victim to Baghdad's increasingly vicious cycle of sectarian violence. Shi'ite families in Sunni neighborhoods and Sunni families in Shi'ite neighborhoods change places.

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