Buhriz

Buhriz is an Iraqi town of about 40,000 located 25 miles north of Baghdad and 6 miles south of the major city of Baquba. The town of Buhriz is heavily agricultural, located on fertile land along the Diyala river and engaged in the cultivation of date palms, orange trees, and other crops.

It maintains a rural character despite its proximity to Baquba and Baghdad, with many residents living in traditional mud huts with some concrete-block houses. The town was known under the regime of Saddam Hussein as the home of many members of the Ba'ath Party, as well as being particularly conservative with traditional religious and tribal values predominate. Following the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, Buhriz emerged as a flashpoint for guerilla fighters opposed to the coalition troops and their Iraqi allies. It became the scene of repeated battles between U.S and Iraqi forces and rebels throughout the spring and summer of 2004, and has fallen essentially under guerilla control. Local leaders blame the detention of over 200 Buhriz residents as provoking further hostility.