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Camp Ashraf

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Camp Ashraf or Ashraf City is situated northeast of the Iraqi town of Khalis, about 20 kilometers west of the Iranian border and 60 kilometers north of Baghdad. The city of Ashraf was named in commemoration of Ashraf Rajavi, a famous political prisoner at the time of the Shah. Camp Ashraf is currently an Iranian refugee camp in Iraq guarded by they United States military[citation needed].

Enterance Gate of Ashraf City

People's Mujahedin of Iran

Ashraf is the seat of Mujahideen-e-Khalq (MeK) or People's Mujahedin of Iran (PMOI), PMOI members in Iraq. It was in 1986 that the PMOI came to Iraq. The camp houses members of the PMOI who are regarded by coalition forces as protected people under the Geneva Conventions. This recognition was due to the neutrality and co-operation of the residents of Ashraf, before, during and after the war. The US General and commander of the 4th Infantry Division, Ray Odierno, referred specifically to this positive cooperation from the residents of Camp Ashraf. [citation needed]

Ashraf Rajavi

Ashraf Rajavi, who lend her name to the camp, was among the last group of the political prisoners released from the Iranian Shah’s prisons in 1979. Subsequently, she married Massoud Rajavi. Ashraf Rajavi, together with Mousa Khiabani, the second in command of the PMOI, were slain when their residence was attacked by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).

Military presence

Within the boundaries of the camp is Forward Operating Base Grizzly (formerly FOB Spartan, FOB Red Lion and FOB Barbarian). The FOB is where the Coalition forces reside. The Bulgarian Army is currently running the Temporary International Presence Facility, outside the FOB but within Camp Ashraf, where refugees who defect from the PMOI are held. Under pressures from Tehran, even food and fuel rations of Ashraf were terminated; elements affiliated with the regime blew up the water pipelines to Ashraf; members of the PMOI were abducted in Iraq. Even a bus carrying Iraqi laborers to the city of Ashraf was blown up killing 11.

Under Saddam Hussain

Along with at least six other sites in Iraq, Camp Ashraf was given to the PMOI as a headquarters and training site by Saddam Hussain. From this base, the PMOI was equipped them with tanks, artillery and armored personnel carriers. During this time, the group conducted operations against Iran during the Iran-Iraq War and later conducted operations against Iraqi Kurds during the 1991 uprising against Saddam.

Since 2003

Since 2003, the coalition forces have designated the PMOI at Camp Ashraf as protected persons under the Geneva Convention and have protected them against retaliation by the Iraqis and from Iran. They have also received support for their status by the International Committee of the Red Cross which has stated that the "residents of Camp Ashraf must not be deported, expelled or repatriated". During the 2003 invasion of Iraq, coalition forces launched air attacks against Mujahedeen forces. Mujaheddin commanders negotiated a ceasefire on April 22, 2003 in which they were initially allowed to keep their military equipment. In June 2003, US forces took control of Camp Ashraf and the PMOI was consolidated, all their weapons were secured by military police and their munitions and caches destroyed. At that time, 4,000 PMOI members were identified and screened for past terrorist acts. Currently, US Military forces are still overseeing operations at Camp Ashraf, and escorting PMOI members on supply runs to and from Baghdad and LSA Anaconda.

References

  • Karl Vick (2003-11-09). "In a Delicate Balancing Act, U.S. Woos Iranian Group in Iraq". Washington Post. Retrieved 2007-04-28.
  • Michael Ware (2007-04-06). "U.S. protects Iranian opposition group in Iraq". CNN. Retrieved 2007-04-28.
  • Jay Solomon (2006-05-22). "Iranian Exile Group Aims to Build Bridges". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2007-04-28.
  • MG William B. Caldwell IV (2006-07-20). "Operations Update, July 20". Multi-National Force - Iraq. Retrieved 2007-04-28.
  • "Camp Ashraf". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 2007-04-28.
  • Scott Peterson (2003-12-31). "Inside a group caught between three powers". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 2007-04-28.
  • 1st Lt. Lea Ann Fracasso (2006-12-06). "Bulgarian Minister of Defense visits FOB". Multi-National Force - Iraq. Retrieved 2007-05-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
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