Many young Iraqis have started carrying knives and other bladed weapons whenever they leave their homes, to the extent that it has become an almost indispensable part of their personalities and sense of self. That is how Barea Saeed, 18, from Baghdad described it to Al-Monitor. He claims to feel weak and threatened whenever he finds himself without a knife in hand.

At a time when trade in all kinds of weapons has proven to be a profitable endeavor in Iraq, many people have become frustrated with the phenomenon of young men acquiring knives, according to Babel police officer Ahmad Fadel. Speaking to Al-Monitor, Fadel noted, “There are more [violent] instances now involving bladed weapons than firearms. They account for nearly 70% of all [violent] incidents.”

In commercial areas near Al-Shorjah and Bab al-Sharqi in Baghdad, Muhammad Karim sells long, sharp knives and brass knuckles, alongside screwdrivers, razors, and even electric batons.

While most young Iraqis claim that they have no intention of using the weapons in their possession except as a matter of last resort, the day-to-day reality of street stabbings and proliferating knife wounds tells a different story.