News / Middle East

Condemnation for Attack Against Iran Exile Camp in Iraq

In this September 11, 2012 file photo, members of the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq organization are seen inside the Liberty refugee camp in Baghdad, Iraq.
In this September 11, 2012 file photo, members of the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq organization are seen inside the Liberty refugee camp in Baghdad, Iraq.
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VOA News
The United States and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon have condemned an attack on an Iranian exile camp in Iraq and called for those responsible to be brought to justice.  U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland called the attack "vicious and senseless."

Iraqi officials say assailants Saturday fired rockets on a camp housing Iranian dissidents, killing at least six people and wounding about 40 others.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack near Baghdad on Camp Hurriya, a onetime U.S. military base known as Camp Liberty.

The camp houses members of the Iranian exile group Mojahedin-e Khalq (Peoples Mojahedin), or MEK.

MEK was formed in the 1960s to oppose the U.S.-backed Shah of Iran, but took up arms against the country's new clerical rulers after the Islamic revolution of 1979.  

The group had been on the terror lists of the U.S., Britain and the European Union, but has since been taken off that list.

The U.S. said last year after removing MEK from the terrorist list that it still had serious concerns about the organization, particularly regarding allegations of abuse committed against its own members.

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Comments
     
by: frida from: california
February 10, 2013 6:37 PM
Mason is right.
Based on their previous actions nobody cares in Iran for them.
During 8- year war with Iraq, they never hesitate to kill Iranian soldiers.


by: Amin from: Texas
February 10, 2013 2:12 PM
Why won't the western countries grant them asylum somewhere? After all the money that MEK spends cultivating its politicians, why can't they get this small thing done?


by: vajihe from: holland
February 10, 2013 8:48 AM
This is crime aginst humanright.peopels Mmojahedin are freedom lovers ,they are not only the hope for Iran but for whole world.
I condemmned this trorist attact and I hope to see them in Iran as soon .


by: Pan
February 10, 2013 6:43 AM
U.S. sponsored terrorism must be eradicated.


by: Iranian from: Iran
February 10, 2013 12:44 AM
No one in Iran cares about your condemnations! U.S. must start supporting the terrorists or face the consequences!


by: JKF from: Ottawa, Canada
February 09, 2013 9:39 PM
This VOA report is not very clear, are these people refugees, in a UN protected/mandated/registerd camp? Is this a refugee camp of civilians? or is this a quasi military camp?
Given that UN staff have condemmed the attack, I will asume they are refugee civilians! We have seen past UN failures, the worst was in Srebrenisa, Bosnia, during the Bosnian phase of the desintegration of Yugoslavia, were ~15,000 Bosianunarmed boys, men and very old men were massacred in a UN protected city, guarded by a UN mandated Dutch military force; after the incident, at that time, the international community, including some members (except Russia/China) of the UNSC, clearly indicated that lessons learned would not be allowed to be repeated. From some of the previous comments, it appears that this attack, on the civilan refugee camp, has occurred before; if that is the case organizations/chain of command need to be held accountable for failing to protect the civilians, and failing to move the refugees to an area were security can be provided. Let us not have another Srebrenisa!


by: Massoud taheri from: California
February 09, 2013 4:51 PM
This is the third massacre that has been carried out against the unarmed Iranian exiles by Iraqi PM, Maleki in the last 3 years. I have many friends in that camp, all highly educated and extremely principled people. Each one was given "protected persons" status by the US government , under 4th Geneva Conventions. Why all these atrocities are happening when Obama is in charge? At least G W Bush kept his word to these exiles.


by: Juergista from: Stockholm
February 09, 2013 2:40 PM
This attack is a Crime Against Humanity. The State Department has to condemn this, silence is not an option. The US promised the residents of Camp Ashraf protection under the 4th Geneva Convention in written agreement, and it should at least honour its words. This is the act of the Iranian regime and must be condemned as such. As the High Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres said in his statement: he is shocked about this morning's mortar attack on Camp Liberty in Iraq that reportedly killed six and wounded dozens.
"I strongly condemn this attack," Mr. Guterres said, noting that the residents of Camp Liberty are asylum seekers undergoing the refugee status determination process and thus entitled to international protection. "This is a despicable act of violence."
"I call on the Iraqi Government to do everything it can to guarantee security to the residents," he said. "The perpetrators must be found and brought to justice without delay," he said.
The High Commissioner also calls on all countries to help find urgent solutions for the Camp Liberty residents.
Mr. Guterres expresses his deep condolences to the families of the victims.


by: Anonymous
February 09, 2013 10:02 AM
Mason is right


by: Mason from: Chicago
February 09, 2013 9:19 AM
Unfortunately the Iranian In Iraq collaborated for so long against Iranian people, there is little sympathy for them in Iran. They just lost it and they harmed their goal by sabotaging Iranian infrastructure.

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