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| Iraq |
| Opposition troops cross over from Iran |
| 2003-02-21 |
| Some 5,000 Iraqi opposition troops based in Iran have crossed the northwestern Iranian border into northern Iraq to "secure the frontier in case of war and combat People's Mujahideen Organisation (MKO) [Mujahideen e-Khalq], an Iranian opposition group based in Iraq," sources told Gulf News yesterday. The opposition forces were equipped with heavy weapons and artillery and they moved into an area near Darbandikhan, an uninhabited area and rugged stretch of hills and canyons about 15 miles from the closest point on the Iranian border. The forces of the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI) are under the control of Ayatollah Mohammed Baqir Al Hakim, the most prominent Shi'ite dissident who lived in Iran for more than two decades. Ayatollah Hakim's forces, under the name of Badr Brigade, were previously based in southern Iran. They have now started to move towards northern Iraq, which is governed by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), an independent area beyond Saddam Hussain's grasp. So that's a counter-move to Sammy moving the Khalq into position. It also clarifies who controls the Badr Brigade. We'll have to watch them closely when Sammy's gone, otherwise we'll see them trying to establish rule by ayatollah. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |