Economic expert Bassem Jamil Antoine said, "The political crisis in the country and the recent wave of violence in Baghdad have caused a decline in the sale of houses, cars and goods." He added, "There has been a remarkable commercial recession in recent months.”
Brig. Gen. Saad Maan, spokesman for the Iraqi Interior Ministry, believes that rumors have played a major role in reducing the commercial traffic between Baghdad and the other provinces. Maan told Al-Monitor, “Rumors significantly contributed to painting a blurry image of the real situation in Baghdad among residents of the other provinces, aided by biased media campaigns that aim to create chaos." He added, "Figures in the political and religious institutions also contributed to increasing tension through statements that fuel the security situation."
Maan asserted, "Many reports of violence circulated by biased media, particularly with regard to checkpoints, are untrue." He says, "Journalists have conducted night tours in all the areas in which militias allegedly set up fake checkpoints. However, they did not witness any illegal armed manifestations."
He revealed that a security operation will be soon launched in Baghdad, “the aim of which is to reassure the people of Baghdad." He pledged that "normalcy will return to the Baghdad markets soon."
Omar al-Shaher is a contributor to Al-Monitor’s Iraq Pulse. His writing has appeared in a wide range of publications including France’s LeMonde, the Iraqi Alesbuyia magazine, Egypt’s Al-Ahaly and the Elaph website. He previously worked for Al-Mada covering political and security affairs and as a correspondent for the Kuwaiti Awan newspaper in Baghdad.
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