The city of Sulaymaniyah witnessed on Tuesday the temporary closure of some shops for one hour in solidarity with the protesting teachers, educators, and employees demanding better economic conditions and living standards.

Kamiran Ahmed, one of the shop owners participating in this campaign, told Shafaq News Agency that "the main goal of this step is to show solidarity with the hunger strikers who are demanding their legitimate rights, especially in light of the economic deterioration that teachers, employees, and workers in Sulaymaniyah Governorate are suffering from.

Ahmed pointed out that "the worsening economic crisis has negatively impacted various sectors, including trade, as sales in shops have declined for nearly ten years due to continuous delays in salary payments because of ongoing disputes between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region.

Ahmed called on the federal government and the regional government to "seriously sit at the dialogue table and find radical solutions to the crisis, away from meetings and agreements that have not led to any tangible results so far," stressing "the need to make decisive decisions to put an end to the suffering of citizens.

This initiative comes at a time when Sulaymaniyah has been witnessing increasing protests and sit-ins for days, demanding economic improvements amid worsening financial and living crises.

Observers believe that the continuation of such solidarity movements may increase pressure on the concerned authorities to find sustainable solutions to the crisis.