Iran mortars Kurd camp in north Iraq, official says

Reuters: An Iraqi Kurdish official accused Iranian forces on Friday of firing a prolonged barrage of mortar shells at a camp of Kurdish guerrillas in northern Iraq, killing two civilians and wounding three others. KIRKUK, Iraq, Aug 18 (Reuters) – An Iraqi Kurdish official accused Iranian forces on Friday of firing a prolonged barrage of mortar shells at a camp of Kurdish guerrillas in northern Iraq, killing two civilians and wounding three others.

“The shelling started at 2:00 a.m. (2200 GMT) and ended at 1:00 p.m. (0900 GMT),” said Ruzgar Qrani, chief of security in Sinkser district, 165 km (100 miles) north east of Sulaimaniya, the largest city in Kurd-controlled northern Iraq.

Militants from minority Kurdish groups from Iran and Turkey have based themselves in northern Iraq and there have been a number of previous claims by Iraqi officials that their neighbours have conducted cross-border attacks.

Iranian officials were unavailable for comment.