Civilians caught up in fighting

Caught up in the mayhem, of course, are normal Iraqis praying for a moment's stability.

In Baghdad, lawyer Marwa Abdel Ridha is in despair.

"I spent the past hours crying. Anyone with a conscience would be saddened by the killing of these young men,” she told MEE.

"How is it everyone's fault to be used as fuel for battles in which they have no control? I don't know when we will rest and when this torment will end."

Ali Ahmed, a pharmacist also in the Iraqi capital, said: "Iraqis are used to wars and fighting. What I feel now is more than fear. It is a real bitterness."

"Why all this fighting? Everyone is corrupt and innocent people are the victims and they pay the price every time. Isn't there a sane person to stop this bleeding?" he added.