IRAQ: New Year's eve came early as many residents of Baghdad celebrated the turn of the year a day early due to the curfew

Record ID: 862375

  • Title: IRAQ: New Year's eve came early as many residents of Baghdad celebrated the turn of the year a day early due to the curfew
  • Date: 1st January 2008
  • Summary: MAN WEARING COSTUME OF SANTA CLAUS KISSING CHILDREN MAN WEARING SANTA CARRYING CHILD UP AND KISS HER INSIDE SHOP MAN IN SANTA CLAUS COSTUME GIVING GIRLS WEARING HEAD SCARVES JUICE MEN INSIDE SHOP AND MAN WEARING SANTA CLAUS CARRYING TRAY WITH JUICE CUPS TO GIRLS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) NOOR JASSIM, SAYING: "My wish is security for this people and God willing we will celebrate the coming year with peace and security. This is the most important thing" MAN WEARING SANTA CLAUS STANDING OUTSIDE SHOP AND CROWD OF PEOPLE PASSING BY
  • Embargoed: 16th January 2008 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Iraq
  • City:
  • Country: Iraq
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz
  • Reuters ID: LVA9S51FDU5KEGT82IAYQM33L9GH
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Many Baghdad residents celebrated the New Year's Eve in the streets late at night on Sunday (December 30) for the first time in years as violence subsides in the capital after years of sectarian war.
    In Baghdad's Karrada district, young men filled the streets dancing and applauding as others drove their cars in the busy street honking their horns.
    Shops on the both sides of are bustling in a way it hasn't since early 2005, when the worst sectarian violence was unleashed. Some shops decorated their front windows with cotton wool, writing: "Welcome 2008" or "Happy New Year". Others had Santa Claus decorations and Christmas trees. .

    "I congratulate the Iraqi people on the New Year and I wish peace and stability to prevail in our dear country by God's will and I wish peace and security for all the people," said Ihssan Abdul Jaleel who accopanied her wife to drink juice at Karrada's famous Mishmisha shop.
    The wish was echoed by all the Iraqis, weary of almost four years of relentless violence .

    "My wish is security for this people and God willing we will celebrate the coming year with peace and security. This is the most important thing," said Noor Jassim Iraq has seen a dramatic reduction in violence over the past six months, but attacks have not ceased. A suicide car bomber stryck a checkpoint near a school in Tarmiya north of Baghdad killing 11 people including five children.
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