MEK IN CAMP ASHRAF: INTRANSIGENCE LEADS TO VIOLENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 002027

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/28/2019
TAGS: PHUM PTER PGOV IZ IR
SUBJECT: MEK IN CAMP ASHRAF: INTRANSIGENCE LEADS TO VIOLENT
CONFRONTATION

REF: BAGHDAD 2009 AND PREVIOUS.

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Robert Ford for reasons 1.4(b)&(d).


1. (C) Summary. Following a stalemate between the GOI and
the Mujahideen-e-Khalq (MEK) (reftel),Iraqi police and army
forces entered Camp Ashraf July 28 to establish an Iraqi
police presence, encountering violent resistance from camp
residents. According to GOI Ashraf Committee Chairman Ali
Abdul Amir al-Yassery, Camp Ashraf residents engaged Iraqi
forces outside the confines of the camp, setting vehicles on
fire, throwing Molotov cocktails, and setting off concussion
grenades. (Note. TF-134 was unable to confirm the use of
fire or Molotov cocktails against GOI forces, only rocks.
End note.) Al-Yassery also claims GOI forces were ordered by
the PM to take casualties at the expense of injuring the
residents of the camp. The GOI reports that 25 GOI forces
and between 18-20 camp residents have suffered injuries,
claiming at least one Iraqi Army officer has been seriously
wounded. Al-Yassery claims the residents suffered only minor
injuries and were being treated by the GOI. TF-134, however,
is reporting that at least 100 residents have been injured.
GOI forces have established a presence inside the camp, but
claim they are no longer physically confronting camp
residents. We have been urging restraint on both sides. End
summary.


2. (C) On July 28, at approximately 0900, GOI forces began
gathering at the perimeters of Camp Ashraf, Diyala Province.
Among them were members of the riot police in full gear and
SWAT team members. Per the GOI's earlier assertions to camp
residents (see reftel),COL Sa'di Habib Hussein al-Dulaymi,
the new site commander for Camp Ashraf, arrived at the camp
at 1100. During a meeting with MEK leadership, COL Sa'di
reiterated the intention of the GOI to enter the camp and
establish an Iraqi police (IP) station, according to U.S.
soldiers on the scene under TF-134. The MEK leadership
refused the Iraqi police entry, claiming that residents would
forcefully resist any entrance by Iraqi forces. With no
concessions by the MEK, COL Sa'di left the meeting and
ordered GOI forces to prepare to breach the camp fence using
trucks, humvees, water cannons, water tanks, ambulances and
bulldozers. EmbOffs spoke with GOI officials three times
over the course of the day to urge restraint and compliance
with human rights assurances. Al-Yassery informed EmbOffs
that Iraqi forces entered Camp Ashraf without ammunition,
citing direct orders from the PM that Iraqi troops "should
take the injuries and casualties, not the residents of
Ashraf." Each time, EmbOffs urged the GOI to show continued
restraint in dealing with camp residents.


3. (C) GOI forces entered the camp at approximately 1600
using four simultaneous points of entry. According to
al-Yassery, residents resisted this incursion using Molotov
cocktails and concussion grenades, setting vehicles on fire,
and at times, engaging the Iraqi forces outside the camp. He
claimed a few residents attacked the Iraqi base located
outside the camp, but were detained by GOI forces. TF-134
confirmed residents assaulted GOI forces with rocks; however,
they could not confirm al-Yassery's claims. As a result of
the violent clashes between the camp residents and the GOI
forces, al-Yassery asserted, approximately 25 IP and 18-20
camp residents were injured, with one Iraqi military officer
suffering serious injuries. Al-Yassery claimed the
Qsuffering serious injuries. Al-Yassery claimed the
residents' injuries were minor. TF-134, by contrast, has
advised that approximately 100 residents were injured, mainly
from being hit with batons or being injured by bulldozers
breaching the camp walls. Al-Yassery claimed the injured are
being treated by the GOI forces, but we are unable to confirm
this.


4. (C) Al-Yassery asserted on July 28 evening that GOI
forces had established an IP station within the camp and that
the situation was calm. "The residents continue to protest
at the gate, but we are not bothering them," said al-Yassery.
TF-134 subsequently reported that camp residents attempted
to take control of gate 12F using a frontloader. Iraqi
forces fired warning shots and targeted the frontloader to
disable it and regain control of the gate.


5. (C) Comment. The GOI had made it very clear to the
residents of Camp Ashraf that it would establish a police
presence at the camp. The GOI insists on its sovereign right
to do so. Embassy has urged both sides to show restraint and
to negotiate a peaceful solution to this problem. The MEK
have been unwilling to compromise and the GOI has run out of
patience. The MEK is trying to publicize today's action with
graphic footage on the internet and press statements
denouncing the GOI's actions and calling for U.S. and UN

BAGHDAD 00002027 002 OF 002


intervention. These events are likely a prelude of events to
come: the GOI will eventually seek to relocate the residents
of Camp Ashraf to a location farther from the border with
Iran. We doubt Iranian pressure on Baghdad about the MEK
will stop and therefore the GOI likely will keep up its
pressure to move the MEK. End Comment.
FORD