From the start the IS group was keen to facilitate the movement of people between Syria and Iraq; the borders were open – in the IS group's eyes, they were actually non-existent – and the easy traveling between the two countries was a sign that the IS group's “caliphate” actually existed and that its territories were unified.
The Syrian traders are coming for various reasons. Mosul, with an original population of close to 2 million, is a big potential market. And almost all of the private factories and government plants here have ceased operations because of shortages of electricity and fuel or because they were targets for air strikes by the international coalition fighting the IS group; the extremists had often stored ammunition and weapons in the factories or used them to manufacture more.
There is also a lot of demand for certain goods in scarce supply in Mosul. There are mobile fuel stations that roam the city selling gasoline, kerosene or cooking gas and signs on the road advertising the availability of Syrian fuel. The fuel is often dirty, home made by villagers in Syria using primitive refineries. This has been necessary in Syria since the armed conflict began there and its become a real business for many.
The distance dictates which kinds of goods are brought to Mosul – clothing, sweets, fabrics and food are popular among sellers on the street. And despite the travel costs, some Syrian products end up being cheaper than any made or sold in Mosul, a fact that has caused consternation among local businesspeople.
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