(Michael Gisick/Stars and Stripes)

Baghdad, Iraq, June 15, 2008: Soldiers from Troop A, 1st Battalion, 75th Cavalry Regiment talk to a produce vendor during a night patrol.

The troops returned to the Gazaliyah district after a two-week absence, afraid of seeing the Sunni area in a deteriorated state, but were pleasantly surprised with cleaner streets and two new parks. But they acknowledged that the road to a safe and secure neighborhood with reliable services was still some ways away.

Read the full article on Gazaliyah here.