GUEULES CASSEES

(BROKEN FACES)
2010

The radio regularly reads off the list of civilian victims of the Iraqi terrorist attacks. I wanted to find out who are the women, the men, the children whose lives are broken by that blind violence. I show their wounded faces and bodies so we don’t forget them.

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  • Zahra Sahar-28 years old.
    Injured in Maysan in southern Iraq in 2007 at a market by a car bomb.
    She received shrapnel to the head, face and neck. She lost an eye.
    She already underwent more than ten operations in Iraq and one in Jordania.
    Her husband left her after the attack and forbids her from seeing her 5-year old son. She hasn’t seen him since the attack. She hopes that with a new face he will let her see her child again.
  • Awal-11 years old.
    Injured in Dohuk (Kurdistan) in 2004.
    The car he was in was blown up by a mine.
    Burns to the face and all over the body.
    7 operations. 4 in Iraq, 3 in Amman.
    Would like to have his old face back.
    Has no money to pay for care.
  • Mahdi-45 years old.
    Injured in 2004 in Mosul.
    A history teacher, he was injured by an American missile shot at his university while he was giving class.
    Remained one month in a coma.
    Already underwent over 30 operations.
    Is hoping for results after years of suffering.
    Knows that he will never get his old face back, but 60% would be good.
    Doesn’t dare go back to Iraq for fear of how others will look at him.
  • Ali-12 years old.
    Injured in Bagdad in 2008 by an American bullet to the arm.
    Was coming home from school.
    His arm is paralyzed. He must wear a glove because of nerve dysfunction in the hand. It must be kept warm to avoid unbearable pain.
    No operation.
  • Omar-26 years old.
    Injured in Karkuk in cross-fire.
    Lost an eye.
    Awaiting an operation to have a prosthetic eye.
  • Abdullah-9 years old.
    Injured in 2006 by a car bomb during a funeral. Over 10 people died that day.
    His parents didn’t recognize him at the hospital. Half his face and one leg were torn off. He has already undergone over 15 operations.
  • Shaimma-30 years old.
    Injured in 2007 by American bombing to his house.
    Burns to both hands and part of his body.
  • Haydar-10 years old.
    Injured in 2005 in Baghdad by a car bomb as he was buying toys.
    Very heavily burnt, he has already undergone 5 operations.
    He would like to get his old face and body back.
  • Khalid-38 years old.
    Injured in Baghdad in 2005.
    Caught by crossfire between Americans and Iraqis.
    He received an explosive American bullet to the face.
    He has already undergone over 35 operations. The doctors had to entirely redo his completely destroyed face.
    He hopes to get back 70% of his old face and be able to speak normally again.
  • Ali-14 years old.
    Injured in 2006 in Baghdad. He was playing in front of his house when a car bomb exploded in the street. He lost a foot and an arm in the explosion.
  • Ali-10 years old.
    Injured in Baghdad in 2006 by a car bomb. His two-year old brother died the day of the attack. Wants to be a normal child again.
  • Beida-20 years old.
    Injured in Baghdad in 2006.
    Her house was hit in the middle of the night by a missile. Everyone was sleeping on the terrace because of the heat.
    Three family members died.
    She was hit by multiple pieces of shrapnel. Her face was half torn off.
    She has already undergone over 20 operations.
    She had to stop her studies. She dreams of returning to them.
  • Fareeda-31 years old.
    Injured in Baghdad in 2006 in an Iraqi and American crossfire. Her 13 year-old son was with her. He was killed.
    She received an explosive bullet to the shoulder that paralysed her arm.
    She has already undergone 4 operations in Iraq.
  • Ahmed-12 years old.
    Injured in Kirkuk in 2006.
    Kicked a plastic bag that had a bomb inside.
    He wants his leg to be to like it was before so he can play football and go to school.
  • Ali-22 years old.
    Ex-policeman.
    Injured in Mosul in 2007 by a bomb as he was leaving a pharmacy.
    One of his legs was amputated.
    He has already been operated 6 times.
    He wants to walk again and get his old job as a policeman back.
  • Mohamed-15 years old.
    Injured in Karkuk in 2005. He was on the way to school with his friends when a car bomb exploded. Four of his friends died. He was completely disfigured. His dream is to get back exactly the same face as before the explosion and his old life. He has since tatooed a swastika on his arm.
  • Kefah-30 years old.
    Injured in Baghdad in 2003.
    At 5 in the morning American soldiers entered her house. Everyone was sleeping.
    The GI’s shot and threw a grenade.
    She and her mother were wounded. Her mother’s spine was broken. Her, half the face and body was burnt.
    Her house was entirely destroyed.
    She awaits nothing more from life because nothing can give her her face back.
  • Ali-26-year-old student.
    Injured in 2004 in Amara (Northern Iraq).
    His jaw was destroyed by shrapnel from a mortar shot.
    He has undergone 14 operations.
  • Khadir- 12 years old and his mother.
    Injured in 2007 in Bassora.
    Was playing football when a mine exploded.
    His two hands were almost torn off. His head was also injured.
  • Hussein-12 years old.
    Injured in a village north of Baghdad in 2007.
    Plastic bags seller at a market.
    A bomb exploded and set the market on fire.
    In the panic he got stuck and blacked out.
    The entire lower art of his body is burnt. He has no more toes.
    He hopes to walk again.
    For now he is bed-ridden.