Dear Tara,

Honor killing is happening in a lot of places in Iraq. Yet, in Basra the situation is different. Basra used to be a secular city with open-minded people who do not believe in honor killings. The militias and the religious fanatics controlling the city are behind these attacks. Honor killings happened even under the rule of Saddam Hussein, but in Basra-like in Baghdad- people did not believe in it like the people in the rural areas did.

I am not blaming Islam for what is happening. I am a Muslim after all. Yet, these criminals are interpreting the Quran and the Islamic teachings their way, not the right way. Not to mention that politics has its big share in these killings. Militias of different parties are fighting to take over the city to control its oil revenues.