Baghdad Airport Road

"Route Irish" redirects here. For the film, see Route Irish (film).

Iraqis make Arba`iniyah trek via Airport Road

Baghdad International Airport and the Green Zone

The Baghdad Airport Road is a 12 kilometer (7.5 mi) stretch of highway in Baghdad, Iraq linking the International Zone, a heavily fortified area at the center of Baghdad, to Baghdad International Airport (BIAP). It also links different parts of Baghdad to the Airport and connects neighboring areas to each other. It became prominent after the 2003 invasion of Iraq following its capture by the Coalition Forces. Although it was commonly referred to by the military Main Supply Route (MSR) designation Route Irish, the route from the International Zone to the airport stretches over two MSRs: Route Aeros, the section leading into and out of the International Zone, and Route Irish, which stretches east from the airport then turns south (past the junction with Route Aeros) to a junction with Highway 1 (MSR Tampa).

Due to heavy military traffic and high-profile convoys, the route from the International Zone to the airport was extremely dangerous in the years following the invasion. The many roadside bombs, suicide bombers attacking its checkpoints, drive-by shootings and random shooting from the areas on both sides of the road have led to its notoriety.^[1] In late 2005 after aggressive patrolling by 2/5 Cavalry and later the American 69th Infantry Regiment,^[2] the road became safer and more reliable.^[3][4]

References

1. ^ Sydney Morning Herald, The World's Most Dangerous Road
2. ^ Flynn, Sean. The Fighting 69th: One Remarkable National Guard Unit's Journey from Ground Zero to Baghdad, Penguin Books, 2007
3. ^ America's North Shore Journal, Route Irish, Safer and More Traveled
4. ^ Washington Post, Easy Sailing Along Once-Perilous Road To Baghdad Airport