IRAQ: Relatives collect bodies of loved ones from a Baghdad morgue after gunmen using silencers targeted stores selling alcohol and killing 12 people, raising fears of hardline Islamists influence.

Record ID: 353855

  • Title: IRAQ: Relatives collect bodies of loved ones from a Baghdad morgue after gunmen using silencers targeted stores selling alcohol and killing 12 people, raising fears of hardline Islamists influence.
  • Date: 15th May 2013
  • Summary: BAGHDAD, IRAQ (MAY 15, 2013) (REUTERS) VEHICLE CARRYING COFFIN ON TOP LEAVING MORGUE VARIOUS OF VEHICLE WITH COFFIN ON TOP DRIVING AWAY CHRISTIAN WOMAN WITH YOUNG MAN WALKING NEAR MORGUE VEHICLE WITH COFFIN ON TOP LEAVING MORGUE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HEAD OF YEZEIDI CHARITY SOCIETY IN BAGHDAD (DID NOT GIVE NAME), SAYING: "This is the second consecutive attack by unknown a
  • Embargoed: 30th May 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Iraq
  • Country: Iraq
  • Topics: Crime
  • Reuters ID: LVA5Z78QBL0DY0OPZREGKB5EFVHM
  • Story Text: The bodies of mostly Yezeidi Kurds, who were killed in an attack in stores selling alcohol in Baghdad on Tuesday (May 14), were collected by their relatives from Baghdad's main morgue on Wednesday (May 15).
    Police and medical sources said that 12 people were killed when gunmen using silencers attacked a row of at least nine stores selling alcohol in the Zayona district of eastern Baghdad, which has a majority Shi'ite population.
    "This is the second consecutive attack by unknown armed group on liquor stores where Yezeidis are working. In the first attack five were killed and three others were wounded, whereas in yesterday's attack nine were killed and three others were wounded, most of them are from the Yezeidi sect," said the head of the Yezeidi charity society in Baghdad, who preferred not to give his name, from the morgue.
    Even though most people shun alcohol, forbidden under Islamic law, Iraq is a generally less conservative Muslim society than neighbours such as Saudi Arabia and Iran, thanks to its mix of Shi'ites, Sunnis, ethnic Kurds and Christians.
    But Islamist parties have risen to the fore since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003 after the U.S.-led invasion and many fear they could encourage hardline Islamists to exert more influence over aspects of Iraqi life.
    Saddam legally allowed shops to sell alcohol, although bars and nightclubs were banned towards the end of his rule.
    Police and medical sources said at least nine customers and three liquor store owners were killed, and three others were seriously wounded.
    Violence is still well below its height in 2006-7, but provisional figures from rights group Iraq Body Count put violent deaths in April at more than 400 - the highest monthly toll since 2009. About 1,500 people have been killed this year.
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