Iran Focus: London, Jul. 28 – Iraqi forces on Tuesday are attacking the base of the main Iranian opposition group situated north-west of Baghdad. More than a thousand armed Iraqi police and soldiers using batons, water cannons and pepper spray attacked members of the People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran in Camp Ashraf.
Iran Focus
London, Jul. 28 – Iraqi forces on Tuesday are attacking the base of the main Iranian opposition group situated north-west of Baghdad. More than a thousand armed Iraqi police and soldiers using batons, water cannons and pepper spray attacked members of the People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran in Camp Ashraf.
The attack has thus far left 385 of the residents wounded, fifteen critically. Four residents, identified as Mehrdad Niksiar, Mohammad Reza Bakhtiari, Farzin Zamani and Mehrdad Rezazadeh, have been killed in the attack, according to a statement issued by the PMOI.
"Four residents of Camp Ashraf, members of the PMOI, were shot and killed by the Iraqi security forces as a result of opening fire on the unarmed people in Ashraf at 8 p.m. today," Ashraf spokesman Shahriar Kia said in a statement.
The group also announced that at about 20.30 local time, Ms. Zohreh Qaemi, a deputy Secretary General of the PMOI, was shot by Iraqi forces.
Footage released by the group shows a number of residents being treated for serious head injuries and gunshot wounds, with Iraqi forces shown beating residents with batons. The group stated that residents of the Camp have begun a hunger strike in protest at the actions of the Iraqi forces.
There have been a large number of arrests.
Earlier today Amnesty International issued a statement expressing serious concern at the attack by Iraqi forces. “Amnesty International is seriously concerned at today’s attacks by Iraqi forces on unarmed residents of Camp Ashraf”
“Video footage seen by Amnesty International clearly shows Iraqi forces beating people repeatedly on different parts of the body, including the head”, the Amnesty International statement added.
Based in part on wire reports
