Camp Ashraf – International law to determine MKO fate
The Iraqi government says the county will deal with the anti-Iran Mujahedin Khalq Organization (MKO) based on International regulations.
Ali al-Dabbagh, Iraq’s government spokesman, said that his country is seeking to gain full control of the terrorist group’s Camp Ashraf from US forces.
The comment comes as the Iraqi military forces have surrounded the camp since Wednesday night.
The Ashraf Camp in Diyala province was the headquarters of the MKO members during the reign of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, but has been converted to a training center for MKO terrorists under the US control since the 2003 invasion of the country.
The Iraqi official warned the terrorist group against engaging in any political activities inside the country.
"Iraq will support voluntarily return of MKO members to Iran or any other countries," Dabbagh said, adding "Iraq will not consider expelling MKO members forcefully from the country and will deal with them according to international regulations."
Along with at least six other sites in Iraq, Camp Ashraf was given to the MKO as their headquarters and training site by the former US-backed Iraqi dictator.
It was from this base the MKO launched operations against Iran during the Iran-Iraq war and later assisted Saddam in violently suppressing the Iraqi Kurds during the 1991 uprising.
The MKO is blacklisted by many countries including EU member states as a terrorist organization. The group has claimed responsibility for hundreds of terror attacks inside Iran.