A motorized rickshaw, or tuk tuk, rides past the entrance of Abu Ghraib, Iraq, west of Baghdad, on Thursday, March 2, 2023. For Iraqis, the war and U.S. occupation which started two decades ago were traumatic – an estimated 300,000 Iraqis were killed between 2003 and 2019, according to an estimate by the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University, in addition to some 4,000 Americans. (Photo by Jerome Delay/AP Photo)





An aerial view shows Iraqi farmers walking on a dry ground during low water levels in Amara, Iraq on March 1,2023. (Photo by Essam Al-Sudani/Reuters)





An aerial view shows the drought-induced drop in the water levels at the Abu Lehya river in the Dhi Qar province on March 6, 2023. (Photo by Asaad Niazi/AFP Photo)





The sun sets behind a suspension bridge over the Tigris River in Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, March. 9, 2023. (Photo by Hadi Mizban/AP Photo)





Followers of the Sabean Mandaeans faith, a pre-Christian sect that follows the teachings of the New Testament's John the Baptist, perform their rituals in the Tigris River during a celebration marking “Banja” or Creation Feast, in central Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, March 14, 2023. Iraqi Sabaean Mandeans view John the Baptist as its central prophet and submerge themselves in the Tigris during an annual five-day ritual. (Photo by Hadi Mizban/AP Photo)





Flower art is exhibited during the Baghdad International Festival of Flowers and Gardens organized to mark Nowruz celebrations symbolizing the beginning of spring, at the al-Zawraa Zoo in Baghdad on March 16, 2023. (Photo by Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP Photo)





Visitors walk by flower exhibits during the Baghdad International Festival of Flowers and Gardens organized to mark Nowruz celebrations symbolizing the beginning of spring, at the al-Zawraa Zoo in Baghdad on March 16, 2023. (Photo by Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP Photo)





An artist paints a girl's face during the Baghdad International Festival of Flowers and Gardens organized to mark Nowruz celebrations symbolizing the beginning of spring, at the al-Zawraa Zoo in Baghdad on March 16, 2023. (Photo by Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP Photo)





A youth takes part in the annual kite festival at Abu Nawas park in Baghdad, on March 17, 2023. (Photo by Murtadha Ridha/AFP Photo)





A woman launches a Kite during Baghdad Kite Festival in Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, March 17, 2023. (Photo by Hadi Mizban/AP Photo)





People take part in the annual kite festival at Abu Nawas park in Baghdad, on March 17, 2023. (Photo by Murtadha Ridha/AFP Photo)





People take part in the Baghdad Kite Festival in Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, March 17, 2023. (Photo by Hadi Mizban/AP Photo)





People take part in the Baghdad Kite Festival as the sun sets in Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, March 17, 2023. (Photo by Hadi Mizban/AP Photo)





A woman launches a Kite during Baghdad Kite Festival in Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, March 17, 2023. (Photo by Hadi Mizban/AP Photo)





People take part in the annual kite festival at Abu Nawas park in Baghdad, on March 17, 2023. (Photo by Murtadha Ridha/AFP Photo)





People take part in the Baghdad Kite Festival in Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, March 17, 2023. (Photo by Hadi Mizban/AP Photo)





Iraqi Kurds holding lit torches walk up a mountain during a procession to celebrate their Nowruz New Year festival in Akre, the country's northern autonomous Kurdish region, on March 20, 2023. Millions of people across the Middle East, Asia and Eastern Europe celebrate Nowruz new year festival, which marks the start of spring. (Photo by Safin Hamed/AFP Phoot)





Iraqi Kurds celebrate Nowruz, a Persian New Year, in Sulaimaniyah, Iraq, Monday, March 20, 2023. The Kurdish in Iraq region won de facto self-rule in 1991 when the United States imposed a no-fly zone over it in response to Saddam's brutal repression of Kurdish uprisings. With American invasion 20 years ago much of Iraq fell into chaos, as occupying American forces fought an insurgency and as multiple political and sectarian communities vied to fill the power vacuum left in Baghdad. But the Kurds, seen as staunch allies of the Americans, strengthened their political position and courted foreign investments. (Photo by Hawre Khalid/Metrography via AP Photo)





Iraqi Kurds celebrate Nowruz, a Persian New Year, in Sulaimaniyah, Iraq, Monday, March 20, 2023. (Photo by Hawre Khalid/Metrography via AP Photo)





Iraqi Kurds celebrate Nowruz, a Persian New Year, in Sulaimaniyah, Iraq, Monday, March 20, 2023. (Photo by Hawre Khalid/Metrography via AP Photo)