The Islamic State group — also known as Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) — had done almost everything it could, including beheading a teddy bear, to stop Iraqis from celebrating St Valentine's Day. However, Baghdadis went out of their way to paint the town red and deliver a message of love on Tuesday.

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The ban

ISIS has been a strong opposer of anything Western — be it tradition or lifestyle — ever since it rose to prominence in the earlier part of this decade. It was only natural that it would take objection to Valentine's Day, which has received such a bad rep all over the world that it was recently banned in Pakistan's capital Islamabad, and by no less than a high court!

ISIS, however, took it a step further in Iraq this time, releasing a video that showed a priest owing allegiance to it beheading a teddy bear with a knife. The warning was clear: This would be the fate of all those who celebrated Valentine's Day in the country.

The defiance

Residents of Baghdad were undeterred, however. They took to the streets, bought love-themed wares and indulged in love-themed activities, turning many streets of the city into a sea of red. There was nary a concern about security, and little to show that the revellers were worried by Iraq's economic conditions either.

Some other streets themselves were adorned with red roses and other flowers of the same colour, red and pink teddy bears and other plush toys, and other red and pink memorabilia, despite another warning from ISIS from Monday, when the terrorist group had banned the wearing of anything coloured red on Valentine's Day.