Working in Iraq

I have recently returned from Iraq where I was working with the British Army in the South of the country in and around Basra.

During the time I spent there, some six and a half months in total, I was able to photograph various aspects of life for the British Troops in this volatile part of the world.

I was able to document patrols that were undertaken in many different parts of Southern Iraq, not only in Basra itself but also further north in Maysan province where troops lived for weeks at a time, in the most basic of conditions, in the desert. Moving daily to avoid potential mortar or rocket attacks they lived an almost nomadic life as they patrolled the vast expanse of the desert trying to combat smuggling activities that are carried out by various groups in this region.

The conditions proved to be just as hostile at times, with soldiers having to endure extremes of freezing temperatures at night to scorching days and, following the heavy rains at the beginning of 2007, thick mud that stuck to everything that moved and everything that didn't!

The following are some of the images were made in the Maysan province...further images from Iraq can be seen on my website www.ianforsythphotography.co.uk

Feel free to have a look and any comments are welcome.