Iraqis seek respite from oppressive reality

Baghdad – With conflict raging and temperatures rising, Iraqi residents have grown increasingly concerned and angry.

A convergence of crises has gripped the country amid ongoing clashes between Iraqi security forces and the Islamic State of the Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group. Millions of citizens have been displaced, there are frequent power cuts, and temperatures have reached record highs.

The situation has prompted tens of thousands of Iraqis to mobilise, taking to the streets to demand an end to corruption in parliament and a return of the most fundamental government services. For many Iraqis, something as basic as constant access to clean water is considered a luxury.

Tired of the seemingly endless violence and the resulting scarcity of many goods and services, residents of Baghdad say they need some respite. Even in the scorching summer heat, parents still take their children to the historic Mutanabbi Street, where books and booksellers line the boulevard.

A quick stroll through the marketplace can provide residents with a much-needed break from Iraq’s oppressive reality.