Sisi follows up on Egypt's food security, retail sector development    Gold posts modest gains on July 15th    China's urban jobless rate eases in June '25    Egypt's Health Minister reviews drug authority cooperation with WHO    Egypt's PM orders 60,000 new homes for Alexandria's unsafe buildings    Crystal Martin to build large-scale textile, apparel factory in Egypt    Egypt urges EU support for Gaza ceasefire, reconstruction at Brussels talks    Escalation in Gaza as Israeli airstrikes intensify, ceasefire talks stagnate    Agriculture Minister discusses boosting agricultural cooperation with Romania, Moldova    Pakistan names Qatari royal as brand ambassador after 'Killer Mountain' climb    Health Ministry denies claims of meningitis-related deaths among siblings    Egypt, Mexico explore joint action on environment, sustainability    Egypt, Mexico discuss environmental cooperation, combating desertification    Needle-spiking attacks in France prompt government warning, public fear    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Korea Culture Week in Egypt to blend K-Pop with traditional arts    Egypt, France FMs review Gaza ceasefire efforts, reconstruction    CIB finances Giza Pyramids Sound and Light Show redevelopment with EGP 963m loan    Greco-Roman tombs with hieroglyphic inscriptions discovered in Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Egypt condemns deadly terrorist attack in Niger        Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt's GAH, Spain's Konecta discuss digital health partnership    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    Egypt's Democratic Generation Party Evaluates 84 Candidates Ahead of Parliamentary Vote    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Cabinet approves establishment of national medical tourism council to boost healthcare sector    Egypt's PM follows up on Julius Nyerere dam project in Tanzania    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Iraqis credit gov't deal for peaceful holiday
Published in The Egyptian Gazette on 20 - 11 - 2010

BAGHDAD - Iraqis who spent a peaceful Eid Al Adha religious holiday this week credited the lull in violence on a political deal to form a new government and end an eight-month deadlock.
In a holiday tradition, families on Saturday dressed in their finest clothes crowded restaurants and public places in Baghdad, considered the world's most dangerous city for many years following the 2003 US-led invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein.
Streets in the capital rang out with loud music, honking car horns and fireworks, and city parks were jammed.
There were no major attacks in Baghdad during the festival, which began on Tuesday for Sunni Muslims and ended on Saturday for most Shia s. But roadside bombs and occasional attacks by gunmen were reported around the country during the week.
The festivities were in sharp contrast to the days before the political pact, under which Iraq's prime minister, president and speaker of parliament were selected.
Tensions before the holiday ran high following assaults and bombings on Christians and in Shia neighbourhoods, and amid daily mortar and rocket attacks on Baghdad's fortified Green Zone of government offices and embassies.
‘I feel more secure in this Eid than the previous one. There is more movement of people. They are feeling more peaceful. No explosions,' said Ali Ahmed, 40, who took his three children to a Baghdad restaurant with a small children's playground.
‘This has a direct relation to the session of parliament which took place before Eid,' he said.
A pact on top government posts reached on Nov. 10 brought together Shia s, Sunnis and Kurds, and could help prevent a slide back into the sectarian bloodshed that raged after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion if minority Sunnis feel empowered.
Overall violence has fallen sharply since the height of sectarian slaughter in 2006-2007, but killings and bombings still occur daily, followed every few weeks by a major, devastating assault by insurgents in which dozens are killed.
‘The previous period was so tense, a lot of terrorist attacks and explosions, they created fear and tension in the street,' said Ahmed as he helped his 4-year-old daughter climb a playground slide.
‘But the marvellous coincidence is the parliament session which came before Eid,' he said. ‘It has had a positive effect.'
Politicians squabbled over posts in a new government for eight months following an inconclusive election. Insurgents sought to exploit the political vacuum through attacks.
Fifty-two hostages and police were killed on Oct. 31 in a raid on Our Lady of Salvation cathedral in Baghdad. That attack was followed two days later by explosions across mainly Shia areas of the city in which at least 63 people died.
Officials say Iraq's insurgency has been weakened by the killing of many of its leaders this year but remains lethal.
The holiday did not ease complaints about checkpoints that dot Baghdad, contributing to severe traffic jams. But some residents said the dearth of attacks was a welcome relief.
‘The government formation has had an effect on security,' Baghdad resident Iftikhar Mutlaq said. ‘I hope they keep up their efforts and choose the ministers.'
‘What is really annoying in Baghdad is the huge number of checkpoints, more than an hour and a half to move from one district to another,' said Mutlaq, 60, who was sitting in a car waiting for her husband to bring food from a restaurant.
Um Hussein, who sat with her husband and one-year-old son on a swing at the Chef City restaurant in Baghdad's Karrada district, said they would go to an artificial lake after lunch.
‘We decided not to come back home till late. The politicians' agreement made us happy,' Hussein said. ‘We hid following the explosions that took place at the church, but the agreement encouraged us to go out.'


Clic here to read the story from its source.