Since Kurdish rule was established in northern Iraq in 1992, liquor stores have been a target of extremists and populist preachers throughout the region. In the aftermath of the 2003 Iraq War, liquor stores came under attack in Baghdad, Mosul and rest of the country, as religious extremism gained momentum in the country. "In Saddam's era, no one dared to attack the alcohol shops," said Hammo, who worked in Mosul from 1987-2003 and sold alcohol and also worked as a chef.
The most disturbing incident occurred in Dahuk province in early December 2011 when a mob incited by Friday prayer preachers went on a rampage and torched scores of liquor stores owned by Christians and Yazidis as well as massage parlors and hotels. "Our own religious leaders are the ones calling for the closure of the alcohol shops in Ainkawa," said a young Christian assistant at a liquor store on Two Side Street in Ainkawa. "They want to respect Ramadan and live peacefully with the larger Muslim community."
Despite the populist and religious pressure, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) rejected outright the call by the Iraqi parliament in October to ban the import, production and sale of alcoholic beverages. In fact, some of the wine, beer and spirit on the shelves in the liquor stores are produced in Erbil.
In the liquor market in Kurdistan, there appears to be a division of labor. The workforce in the booze market across Kurdistan region is almost exclusively Yazidi and Christian, and the overwhelming majority of consumers are Muslims. Many Muslim consumers believe that while drinking may be a sin, trading in alcohol is much worse in the eyes of Allah and the public; that is why most Muslims stay away from alcohol sales.
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