STORY: Iraqis observe Ramadan with a mix of concerns, woes
SHOOTING TIME: March 10, 2024
DATELINE: March 11, 2024
LENGTH: 00:02:39
LOCATION: Baghdad
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of people shopping at Shorja Market
2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): SAIF SITAR, Iraqi shop owner

STORYLINE:

Decades of wars and conflicts, especially the U.S. invasion in 2003, have changed atmosphere of the Ramadan in Iraq. The political and sectarian divisions left in the wake of the U.S. invasion in 2003 have exacerbated the difficult conditions faced by many Iraqi people. 
SOUNDBITE (Arabic): SAIF SITAR, Iraqi shop owner
"Ramadan now in Iraq is very different from the past. We called it 'Ramadan of family' in the past because there were love and communication. Now communication between neighbors has been cut off. People are afraid of talking to neighbors because of the political and sectarian divisions that the U.S. have introduced since the war in 2003. Everything has been changed because of the American occupation. The U.S. destroyed Iraq. Many families were killed and displaced. Until now, there are a lot of people who do not know where their families are because of the American occupation. The Iraqi people are living in a very difficult condition, prices have soared, and many families cannot even afford the expenses during Ramadan."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Baghdad.
(XHTV)