DATE=3/22/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=IRAQ /IRAN ATTACKS (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-260477
BYLINE=LISA BRYANT
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Iraq has blamed Iran for a mortar attack on a
residential area of Baghdad that reportedly killed
four people and injured 38 Tuesday night. From Cairo,
Lisa Bryant reports the incident is the latest example
of rising tensions between two long-time adversaries.
TEXT: Baghdad is calling the mortar attack a flagrant
aggression against the country's security and
sovereignty. Iraq claims unnamed agents of the
Iranian government fired six mortar bombs on a
residential building in the capital. A spokesman said
Baghdad reserved the right to retaliate suitably
against Tehran.
So far, however, Iran has not commented on the matter.
According to Iraq's official news agency, two of those
killed in Tuesday's mortar assault were Iraqis, and
the others were from other Arab countries. The attack
reportedly created panic among a large crowd of
holiday goers nearby who were celebrating the Muslim
Eid al-Adha feast and the Kurdish New Year.
An Iraqi spokesman said those injured -- including
children, women and elderly people -- were taken to a
nearby hospital. The spokesman also said an Iranian
mortar and two unexploded bombs had been found near
the bombed building.
The Agence France-Presse news agency reported the
Palestinian representative to Baghdad identified two
of the dead as Palestinians. The Palestinian
official, Azzam al-Ahmad, said the mortar attack had
been deliberately planned to hurt Palestinian-Iraqi
relations.
Iraq and Iran still maintain hostile relations after
fighting a brutal eight-year war in the 1980s. Each
harbors dissident groups from the other country. Both
have recently stepped up charges against each other of
cross-border attacks.
Earlier this week, for example, Iranian security
agents accused Baghdad of helping two Iranian
opposition fighters cross the border to launch a
mortar attack on Tehran. Last week, the Iranian
opposition, Mujahideen Khalq, said Iran had attacked
one of its military bases inside Iraq.
On Monday, the leading Iraqi newspaper, "Babel,"
warned Tehran against further attacks, and accused U-S
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright of encouraging
what the newspaper called Iranian aggression. In a
speech last week, Secretary Albright expressed regret
about America's support of Iraq during the Iraq-Iran
war, and announced steps to ease U-S sanctions on
Tehran. (SIGNED)
NEB/LB/GE/JP
22-Mar-2000 11:12 AM EDT (22-Mar-2000 1612 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
