1- Shots of Kirkuk streets, stores, marketplaces, Iraqis shopping, details

Iraqis welcome Muslim holy month of Ramadan with fear and sadness because of security and economic problems unlike other Muslim countries. Many traditions of Ramadan cannot be carried out because of the hardships. Although the curfew rearranged to be imposed after midnight, Iraqis are still afraid of going to the mosques for tarawih, Ramadan-long night prayers. Most of them stay home in Ramadan while others head to umra, smaller pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

2- A travel agency

3- Interview with the travel agent (in Turkoman), details

Eydan Kalandar, a travel agent in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk, said, " Iraqi people are going through hard times for years. Nobody can go out at nights during Ramadan because it is dangerous. People used to go out for tarawih prayers and visited friends in the past but now as there is no security, they are scared." Kalandar said many Iraqis couldn't afford Hajj, larger pilgrimage, thus preferring umra, smaller pilgrimage in Ramadan. He said, " People both want to perform their prayers and be a little relieved of the daily stress of living in Iraq. As the Hajj is far more expensive, they prefer umra."

4- Interview with an Iraqi (in Arabic)

Hussein Amin Muhammad, another Iraqi, said, " Once people were overtly enjoyed by Ramadan. Now, you see unhappy faces everywhere because of poverty. They can't even perform their daily prayers in the mosques because of insecurity. Economically, Iraqis are in a very bad condition. There are now two classes in the society, the rich and the poor."

5- Kirkuk streets

6- Interview with an Iraqi (in Turkoman), details

Hassan Ali, another Iraqi from Kirkuk, said, " In the past, people could go out after iftar (a meal to break fast). Now it is impossible. People are happy even to be able to perform their prayers at their home."