With Islamic State gone, barbers are busy in Mosul
Mosul barbers, whose profession was outlawed during the Islamic State's rule, are becoming popular again in the newly freed city.
MOSUL, Iraq — The Islamic State (IS) issued many decrees when it took over Mosul in 2014, including one that banned barbers. As one might imagine, with the recent liberation of the city many men of Mosul — with their three years' worth of hair growth — are heading out for a shave and a haircut.
Barbershops are sprouting once again — albeit carefully because of the possible threat of remaining IS cells. Returning to a somewhat normal life in Mosul, which was liberated July 10 from the clutches of IS, is a difficult process. Thousands of displaced people are returning to their homes amid large-scale devastation and the stifling fear and culture of prohibition that IS left behind.
