The number of people killed in the wave of sectarian violence has mounted inexorably in recent weeks.

So constant vigilance is needed to stop the car bombers getting through.

The threat of violence permeates all aspects of life and even bakeries have been the target of attacks in Baghdad.

Going to school can be a risk - one in four children of primary school age do not attend, the World Bank says.

Ballet groups have begun for girls, while wrestling is popular amongst boys. The "dreaming butterfly" ballet troupe was established in 2005.

Iraq once had one of the best education system in the Middle East and the roadside market of old and second-hand books is still thriving.

Many Iraqis tend to shop from stalls and shops near their houses without going to the big markets which have been targeted by car bomb attacks.

This family makes its home amid the ruins of what was once the luxury premises of the Iraqi Air Force Club.

Prayers are said for peace in Najaf, though normal life seems far off.

Spending time inside the al-Madina bathhouse offers some respite from the tensions.