Life remains as usual in Baghdad on Thursday despite of intensified US air strikes against some sensitive targets in the capital.
Residents were seen on streets in Baghdad with routine of life, though cars on the streets are less in number than usual, the public transport vehicles remain in service in the capital.
It seems that Iraqi people have apparently gotten used to the US strikes, as they had such experience during the first Gulf War in 1991 when Baghdad was heavily bombed by the US-led coalition forces.
Children are seen playing football in the sub-streets after their study was interrupted during the strikes for the purpose of keeping them safe. Moreover, the ambulance cars are parked in the public squares.
Officials from the ruling party and the policemen with automatic weapons were stationed at some important street crossroads to defend their land.
However, streets in the capital seem deserted when the US forces launched the second wave of intensified air raids on Baghdad Thursday evening. Only a small number of special vehicles such as ambulance and fire brigades are seen running in the streets. Little movement was reported across the capital after the second round of strikes, which represents the beginning of the ground battles in southern Iraq.
As for the routine business in Baghdad, most shops were closed at the beginning of the day, then they opened their doors gradually, but most of them were closed again after darkness.
On the financial market, the rate of the US dollar increased against the Iraqi dinar. On Thursday afternoon, the rate set about 4,000 Iraqi dinar for one US dollar.
Functioning in the essential government offices continued according to the emergency plans prepared for these conditions.
However, most Iraqi people feel angry of what happened at the dawn of Thursday. They say that they should have felt comfortable after these years of suffering, but their angry is mixed with fear of what will come next. As a result, marks of despair appeared on their faces. "
Source:Xinhua News Agency
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