A vanishing way of life on Iraq's marshlands - in pictures

Photographer Ishtar Obaid takes a closer look at a family's day in southern Iraq

Samir Abdullah poses with his family. All photos: Ishtar Obaid

They are from Iraq's Al Bahar tribe

Their home is in Chebayish Al Ahwar, Al Nasriyah

Many other families have been forced out of the marshes

The cause has been a drought that has affected the area over the past few years

The drought has made it hard for livestock, which the families rely on for milk, to survive

It has also affected the number of fish in the marshes

Al Ebaa Abed makes bread for her family

Fuel for the oven is gathered from the surrounding countryside

With her son, Kasim Mohammed, looking on, she creates clay 'hot plates' that are heated for the bread to be made on

The 'tanoor bread' is then laid out to cool

The family are one of the few remaining to exist in the marshlands

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