Rocket attack in Iraq’s Iranian refugee camp leaves 6 deadFebruary 9, 2013 - 13:07 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Assailants fired rockets at a refugee camp for Iranian exiles outside Baghdad early Saturday, February 9 killing six people and wounding dozens, police and a spokesman for the camp said, according to AP. The camp, a former American military base known as Camp Liberty, houses members of the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, the militant wing of the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran. The camp is meant to be a temporary way station while the United Nations works to resettle the residents abroad. They are unlikely to return to Iran because of their opposition to the regime. Shahin Gobadi, a spokesman for the NCRI, provided the names of the six killed and said more than 100 people were wounded, several of them seriously. He released photographs of five bloodied bodies swaddled in blankets, including one of a woman. Two police officials confirmed the death toll and said more than 40 people were hurt in the attack. They said three policemen were among the wounded. They spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to share information with the media. There were conflicting reports about what was fired at the camp. Iraqi police and Gobadi said assailants fired rockets, while U.N. officials said the camp was hit by mortar rounds. Iraq's government is eager to have the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, or MEK, out of the country. The group, which is also called the People's Mujahedeen of Iran, opposes Iran's clerical regime and carried out assassinations and bombings in Iran until renouncing violence in 2001. It fought in the 1980s alongside Saddam Hussein's forces in the Iran-Iraq war. Several thousand of its members were given sanctuary in Iraq by Saddam. Iraq's current Shiite-led government, which has close ties to Iran, considers the MEK a terrorist group and says its members are living in Iraq illegally. The Obama administration took the MEK off the U.S. terrorism list in late September. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Narek Manasyan wins European Boxing Championships silver for Armenia Armenia’s Narek Manasyan (92kg) won Armenia’s second silver medal at the European Boxing Championships 2024 on April 28. Blinken urges Azerbaijan to continue negotiations with Armenia Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has urged Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to continue negotiations with Armenia. Pashinyan, Blinken talk Armenia-U.S. ties over the phone Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 28, Pashinyan’s office reports. Titus, Bilirakis lead legislation to sanction Azerbaijani war criminals Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the bipartisan legislation. |