Life and trade collide at Ramadi's Friday Market

Shafaq News/ At a crowded corner of Ramadi’s Friday Market, Setar Abu Ahmad gently wipes down a silver Japanese wristwatch, its face glinting under the morning sun.

A few stalls away, Mohammed Enad adjusts a cage of desert lizards from the Rahhaliyah desert. Between them, a scene unfolds that reflects the eclectic energy of one of western Iraq’s busiest trading hubs.

Each week, the market draws buyers and sellers from Anbar, Baghdad, and Erbil, offering a diverse mix of livestock, vintage goods, tools, and traditional products.

Setar, known as Abu al-Saat, has sold watches here for decades. “People still want the old Japanese styles—silver with crystal details,” he explained. Prices typically range between 20,000 ($15.26) and 50,000 Iraqi dinars ($38.15), depending on age and condition. “Chinese ones? They stay on the table.”

Mohammed Enad, who trades in desert lizards (ḍabb), said demand varies. “Some buy them to eat, others raise them as pets,” he said. Prices fall between 10,000 ($7.63) and 25,000 dinars ($19.07), depending on size.

Nearby, Abu Habib markets colorful turkeys brought in from Husaybah and western Anbar. Hens sell for 25,000–35,000 dinars ($19.07–$26.71), while prized males—especially those with rare plumage—can fetch up to 100,000 ($76.30).

Ali, or “Abu al-Talyan,” brings sheep from Qaim and Hit every Friday, a routine he’s maintained since 2015. “Small lambs go for 250,000 ($190.75), the big ones for 300,000 ($228.90),” he noted. “It’s not just holiday sales—people buy throughout the year.”

Traders rely heavily on western Anbar’s livestock, long favored for its breeding quality.

Beyond livestock and niche goods, stalls offer clothing, tools, homeware, and local food. Prices are widely accessible, catering to both urban and rural customers, and reinforcing the market’s role as a cross-regional economic anchor.