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| Iraq | ||
| Cost of living rises after Isil's takeover of Mosul | ||
| 2014-07-28 | ||
| As the euphoria dissipates after the Islamic State's capture of the city, the costs of living in the heart of their newly declared "caliphate" are starting to pile up. When Islamic State fighters first seized Iraq's city of Mosul, life improved for many residents. But some now say the economic and cultural cost of militant rule is beginning to bite. The bomb attacks, shootings and kidnappings that kept many residents of Iraq's second city in a constant state of fear all but stopped when IS took control six weeks ago. The many streets closed off by Iraq's Shia-dominated security forces were reopened. Checkpoints were dismantled and heavy-handed policing toned down. "When the army left and the gunmen came it was the first time we could breathe. Before I had to wait two hours in traffic just to get to work because of all the checkpoints. Now I can get to my shop in 10 minutes," said Mohammed Azhar, 32. But as the euphoria dissipates after the Islamic State's previously known as Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) June 10 capture of the city, the costs of living in the heart of their newly declared "caliphate" are starting to pile up. Fuel is becoming scarce, electricity intermittent at best, and goods that violate the militants' version of Shariah are disappearing from the shelves.
Residents who have not already fled now wait in fear of yet more restrictions on their lifestyle. "As time goes on we're surprised by new laws. For example jeans are banned, any fashion is banned. T-shirts with numbers and letters on them are banned. Women must cover their heads, and dark colours are preferred for clothes," said a civil servant who declined to be identified. Islamic State has taken an incremental approach to enforcing its writ.
Playing cards and dominoes has been prohibited and hookah pipes have been banned, the civil servant said. Smoking is also forbidden, but according to multiple sources the rule is not strictly enforced, although new deliveries of tobacco into the city have been blocked. So far, one of the most painful aspects of the militants' occupation has been economic. "The gunmen told me and other neighbouring shops to quickly sell our products, which are women's clothes of different styles, fabrics, colours and not to display them at the front of the store," said Zayed Mahmoud, 30. "We've lost a lot of money as we've been forced to sell very cheap. I've lost about $30,000 (22,000 euros)." Now all he is allowed to sell are face veils and different types of all-enveloping abayas, for which there is — at least for now — little demand in Mosul. Further depressing the economy, the fuel shortage combined with security problems has hampered trade with other Iraqi regions and nearby Turkey and Syria, a painful development for a city that has long been a commercial hub. | ||
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #4 Contrast with nearby Kurdistan. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2014-07-28 22:34 |
| #3 "When the army left and the gunmen came it was the first time we could breathe. Before I had to wait two hours in traffic just to get to work because of all the checkpoints. Now I can get to my shop in 10 minutes," said Mohammed Azhar, 32 "I have only been decapitated twice" |
| Posted by: Frank G 2014-07-28 21:42 |
| #2 Maybe they can apply for foreign aid from the US, UN and Europe. |
| Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 2014-07-28 16:00 |
| #1 Cost of living rises after Isil's takeover of Mosul The impact of which should soon by offset by strict school lunch rationing, food stamps, free healthcare, and other urban public assistance programs. No worries. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2014-07-28 03:54 |