Armed groups target liquor shops in Iraq
Shops selling alcoholic beverages in Baghdad are constantly targeted. Some Iraqis see this as part of the war on their personal freedoms.
An unidentified group used explosive devices to target four liquor shops on Dec. 15 in different areas of Baghdad.
A few hours prior to the attack, the Iraqi Interior Ministry closed 91 liquor stores and nightclubs in Baghdad, claiming they were unlicensed, at a time when armed groups are already targeting these places.
Six days earlier, Iraqi security forces dismantled an explosive device near a liquor store in the upscale district of al-Mansour, which is located far from the influence of armed groups.
A group calling itself People of the Good issued a statement on Dec. 14, calling on Iraqi security forces to stay away from liquor shops. "After the number of security forces increased to protect these stores, we call on them to move away from them, because we will continue targeting them until the land of Baghdad is cleared of their filth," the group said.
