Iran dissident camp struck in Iraq

PanARMENIAN.Net - At least two rockets struck a camp in central Iraq housing Iranian dissidents Sunday, December 25 evening, a senior army officer said, as Baghdad and the U.N. signed a pact aimed at resolving the residents’ status.

Dec. 25, deal had been welcomed by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and came after Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said his government would extend a year-end deadline for the removal of the camp residents from Iraq.

“Two rockets landed on Camp Ashraf last night,” an Iraqi army colonel said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “The casualties are unknown because we are forbidden from entering the camp.”

It was not immediately clear who fired the rockets. The group which occupies Camp Ashraf, the People’s Mujahedeen, said in a statement that four rockets struck their base at 8:00 pm (1700 GMT) on Dec. 25 evening, and accused groups loyal to Iran of being behind the attack.

Also on Sunday, Dec. 25, Iraq and the U.N. signed a pact under which Baghdad will resettle members of the People’s Mujehedeen and provide security while the U.N. determines their refugee status.

The United Nations said in a statement that it and the government of Iraq had “signed today a memorandum of understanding for a humanitarian and peaceful resolution of the situation of the residents” of the camp.

It said Iraq will relocate them to a “transit location for a process of refugee status determination by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, a necessary first step for their resettlement outside Iraq.”

Iraq had committed to “ensure the safety and security of the residents at the new location,” said the statement.

The agreement was signed by U.N. envoy Martin Kobler and Iraqi National Security Adviser Falah al-Fayadh, AFP reported. Iran dissident camp struck in Iraq