For many Iraqis, the first international soccer tournament their country is hosting in more than four decades is about to kick off in the southern city of Basra, offering a rare moment of joy and optimism. Know more:
BASRA, Iraq—For many Iraqis, the first international soccer tournament their country is hosting in more than four decades is about to kick off in the southern city of Basra, offering a rare moment of joy and optimism.
That has forced the Iraqi team to play home games abroad. Since the US-led invasion in 2003 that ousted dictator Saddam Hussein, Iraq has only played three competitive matches on home turf. Also, Iraq’s ties with GCC have been strained for decades as Iran-backed militias and political factions rose in prominence in the country. Basra, the center of Iraq’s petroleum industry, has not been These days, the city is reinvigorated and busier than ever. Security forces have been deployed in large numbers as tourists from neighboring Gulf countries pour in for the tournament.
Its farming sector has been devastated while its once famous tourism industry has floundered. Some 40% of Basra’s estimated population of 1.4 million lives in poverty, while unemployment is soaring. Adel Kabbasi, a Yemeni journalist who flew to Basra for the tournament, said he has felt safe and comfortable since his arrival.
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