Camp Ashraf

Camp Ashraf or Ashraf City is situated northeast of the Iraqi town of Khalis, about 120 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 the United States militaryFact|date=June 2007.

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.fact|date=June 2008

Ashraf Rajavi

Ashraf Rajavi, who lent 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. 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 Hussein

Along with at least six other sites in Iraq, Camp Ashraf was given to the PMOI as a headquarters and training site by Saddam Hussein. From this base, the PMOI was equipped with tanks, artillery and armored personnel carriers. During this time, the group conducted operations against Iran during the Iran–Iraq War and later allegedly conducted operations against Iraqi Kurds during the 1991 uprising against Saddam. [cite web | url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A17287-2003Nov8?language=printer&c_id=bos | title = In a Delicate Balancing Act, U.S. Woos Iranian Group in Iraq | author=Karl Vick |work = Washington Post | date = 2003-11-09 | accessdate = 2008-04-07 ]

ince 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 Joint Base Balad.

References

*cite web
url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A17287-2003Nov8?language=printer
title=In a Delicate Balancing Act, U.S. Woos Iranian Group in Iraq
author= Karl Vick |date=2003-11-09 |publisher=Washington Post | accessdate=2007-04-28
*cite web
url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/04/05/protected.terrorists/index.html?eref=yahoo
title= U.S. protects Iranian opposition group in Iraq
author= Michael Ware |date=2007-04-06 |publisher=CNN | accessdate=2007-04-28
*cite web
url=http://www.emailthis.clickability.com/et/emailThis?click

title= Iranian Exile Group Aims to Build Bridges
author= Jay Solomon |date=2006-05-22 |publisher=Wall Street Journal | accessdate=2007-04-28
*cite web
url=http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1027&Itemid=128
title= Operations Update, July 20
author= MG William B. Caldwell IV|date=2006-07-20 |publisher=Multi-National Force - Iraq| accessdate=2007-04-28
*cite web
url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iraq/camp-ashraf.htm
title= Camp Ashraf |publisher=GlobalSecurity.org| accessdate=2007-04-28
*cite web
url=http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/1231/p10s01-woiq.html
title= Inside a group caught between three powers
author= Scott Peterson |date=2003-12-31 |publisher=Christian Science Monitor | accessdate=2007-04-28
*cite web |url=http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7815&Itemid=110
title= Bulgarian Minister of Defense visits FOB
author= 1st Lt. Lea Ann Fracasso |date=2006-12-06 |publisher=Multi-National Force - Iraq| accessdate=2007-05-06

External links

* [http://www.ashrafcity.com/index-eng.htm Official website of Camp Ashraf (or Ashraf City) in English]
* [http://www.turkishweekly.net/news.php?id=29780 Bulgarian Unit Deployed at Camp Ashraf in Iraq] Turkish Weekly
* [http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/rn/2002-03/03rn43.htm Behind the Mujahideen-e-Khalq (MeK)] Parliament of Australia Library
* [http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2965&Itemid=128 Two members of PMOI abducted (Update 1)] MNFI
* [http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3609&Itemid=128 Two members of MeK abducted] MNFI
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/mek.htm Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK or MKO)] Global Security.ORG