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As terror attacks continue, Iraqi government prioritizes nightclub raids

The ongoing attacks against nightclubs and liquor stores in Baghdad suggest an alliance between religious currents and the Iraqi government.

The site of a bomb attack is seen in Baghdad July 23, 2015. A car bomb exploded in a crowded marketplace in a mainly Shi'ite Muslim district of the Iraqi capital on Wednesday, killing at least 20 people, police and medical sources said.  REUTERS/Ahmed Saad - RTX1LFX6
The site of a bomb attack is seen in Baghdad, July 23, 2015. A car bomb exploded in a crowded marketplace in a mainly Shi'ite Muslim district of the Iraqi capital on Wednesday, killing at least 20 people, police and medical sources said. — REUTERS/Ahmed Saad

During the night of July 18, Iraqi forces raided several Baghdad nightclubs and attacked and arrested the club owners and workers.

The Iraqi Interior Ministry apologized July 20 and released the detainees in an attempt to avoid domestic and international criticism.

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