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"The presence of the MEK threatens Iraq and the democratic process" said Khalis mayor, Uday al-Khudran, who believed the presence of the group was contrary to "laws and international conventions". Diyala police commander was more outright in his statement. "MEK is a terrorist organization," he said calling on the government to expel the group from Iraq as soon as possible. |
http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidZAWYA20111026081311
A number of Iraqi tribal leaders in Diyala province called on the Iraqi government Tuesday to speed up expelling Iranian opposition group, Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK).
The call came in a conference the tribal leaders held for the purpose in Khalis town, Diyala, where the MEK is based. The group is responsible for carrying out attacks against Iraqis, as well as helping Saddam Hussein during the Iraq-Iran (1980-1988) war in repressing the Kurds and the Shias.
The Iraqi government has said earlier that Camp Ashraf, where the MEK members reside, will be closed by the end of the year and the residents will be moved to a third country. "The presence of the MEK threatens Iraq and the democratic process" said Khalis mayor, Uday al-Khudran, who believed the presence of the group was contrary to "laws and international conventions".
Diyala police commander was more outright in his statement. "MEK is a terrorist organization," he said calling on the government to expel the group from Iraq as soon as possible.
The conference on Tuesday concluded with a final statement saying the group had to be expelled from Iraq and "those involved in violence against Iraqis have to be held to account".
Other Iraqi officials in the conference had different grounds for expelling the group. Mayor of al-Adhim town in the same province near the camp, Abdul Jabbar Ahmed al-Obeidi told AKnews that "al-Adhim town is in dire need of the fertile lands of Camp Ashraf to boost its economy and agriculture". "The expelling of the group is a popular demand and has to be respected," he said.