Baghdad residents took to the streets to welcome the lifting of the night curfew, effective February 7th, with spontaneous celebrations and organised activities.
Since the decision to lift the curfew was announced, celebrations have been taking place across the capital and popular bands have been roaming through the city's neighborhoods playing music.
Some city residents are staying out late to enjoy the cafés, while others are savouring their newfound freedom by driving their cars around until the early morning hours.
Social media is filled with photos of Baghdadis enjoying public places at night.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced his decision to completely lift the night curfew in the capital city and demilitarise key areas.
A few days before making the announcement, al-Abadi visited the Baghdad Operations Command to discuss the stability of the security situation and to develop solutions to address any flaws, the command said in a statement.
To alleviate the burden on city residents, the night curfew was lifted and five demilitarized zones were identified, the statement said. These are al-Kadhimiyah, al-Adhamiya, al-Mansour, al-Karrada and al-Sedea.
The Baghdad Provincial Council's security committee revealed that the decision to lift the night curfew in the capital will be accompanied by new security plans.
The decision to lift the curfew is "a victory for Baghdadis who waited impatiently for this decision", said deputy committee chairman Mohammed al-Rubaie.
"This decision will be accompanied by security plans and renewed old plans to strengthen the security presence," he said in a statement.
Evening inspections will take place in previously troubled areas with the co-operation of local leaders in order to maintain security and stability, he said.
Al-Rubaie also confirmed that the command will reopen about 100 streets and bridges that had been closed to pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
The openings include Abu Nawas road extending from the beginning of al-Rashid Street until al-Jadriyah bridge, he said.
Qasim Jabbar al-Taie, who owns a dessert and pastry shop in al-Karrada, said he distributed free sweets on the first day the curfew was lifted.
He decided to do this "a result of this small joy, pending the final joy of triumph over the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and defeating it without recourse", he said.
Oud player Haider Najm told Mawtani that for him, the decision marked the beginning of the restoration of normal life to Baghdad.
"I am meeting friends until a late hour on Thursday and Friday in Rkhitth café in al-Karrada or in al-Adhamiya cafés where we play Iraqi heritage songs and entertain café visitors staying up [late], as night has a magical flavour in these areas," he said.
"We were waiting for lifting of the night curfew," he said. "Baghdad is our beloved, and lifting the curfew brought us back to the lap of the precious."
Economist Ahmed Mazhar al-Obaidi told Mawtani the decision to lift the curfew will contribute to the creation of thousands of jobs for Baghdadis.
"Many areas in Baghdad used not to sleep before the imposition of the night curfew, especially the vital areas of al-mansour, al-Harithiya, al-Karrada, Bab al-Sheikh, al-Fadhl, Abu Nawas, Sadoun, al-Adhamiya and many others," he said.
These areas are dotted with a variety of restaurants, cafes and shops where large numbers of people work, he said, "and this night activity requires the availability of different transport methods [such as] buses and taxis".
This means jobs for the owners of those vehicles and business for cafés, restaurants and shops, he said, which will provide thousands of families with a livelihood and help to revive the economy.