Iraq Denies Attack on MKO’s Camp, Blames Infighting for Deaths
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iraqi officials strongly denied allegations raised by the terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) that the Iraqi security forces staged a military offensive on the group’s training camp near Baghdad.
The terrorist group said that 34 MKO members died in a raid early Sunday and blamed the Iraqi security forces for the deaths.
Among the dead is also the group's deputy general secretary, Zohreh Ghaemi, the group added.
Meantime, Ali al-Moussawi, a spokesman for Iraq's prime minister, confirmed that some camp residents were killed.
He, however, said that a preliminary investigation suggests they died as a result of infighting among camp residents, and denied that Iraqi forces were involved, AP reported.
In a relevant report, AFP said that explosions were reported in Camp Ashraf (now Camp of New Iraq).
The report added that the Iraqi officials strongly denied allegations they had carried out a military offensive.
The blasts went off Sunday morning at the camp, which lies in Diyala province, and an official said they were caused by an oil or gas barrel exploding.
“Not a single soldier entered Camp Ashraf,” said Haqi alSharifi, the Iraqi official responsible for the camp.
“There was no attack from outside against the camp, but what seems to have happened is some barrels of oil and gas inside Ashraf exploded. The police are investigating.”
A police source told AFP, however, that five mortars landed in Ashraf on Sunday morning.
The MKO is considered as a terrorist group since it has been behind many cases of bombings and assassinations against the Iranian officials and people.
The group also fought alongside the regime of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein during the 8-year Iraqi-imposed war on Iran in 1980s.
