Beiji, Iraq

Beiji, Iraq is located in Salaheddin province. Home to Iraq's largest oil refinery, the small city is about 145 miles north of Baghdad, on the main road to Iraq's third largest city, Mosul. Due to its close proximity to Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, Beiji is known as a pro-Saddam, anti-Coalition hotbed.

In late 2003, Beiji's population of about 60,000 had to be heavily guarded by soldiers from the 4th Infantry after chronic, violent pro-Saddam protests raged in the city streets. In response, the town was soon peppered with Stryker vehicles, foot soldiers and snipers. Beiji's populace is still believed to hold within it remnants of insurgent groups, fierce pro-Saddam loyalists, and trained foreign fighters.