4 PKK fighters killed

March 15, 2009 - 02:22:49

ARBIL / Aswat al-Iraq:

Four fighters of the Kurdistan Workers Party in northern Iraq were killed in Turkish air strikes on border areas during the past few days, a PKK foreign relations office member said.

“The four fighters were killed as Turkish warplanes were pounding the border areas of al-Zab and Zakros in Duhuk province, (460 km) north of Baghdad, on March 11, 12 and 13,” Roz Walat told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

The PKK, or Partiya Karkeren Kurdistan in Kurdish, which is banned in Turkey, has been leading an armed campaign inside Turkey since 1984.

Iraqi border areas in the Kurdistan region, adjacent to Turkey and Iran, are coming under occasional Turkish air attacks and Iranian artillery shelling allegedly to strike the strongholds of the PKK and the PJAK (Partiya Jiyana Azada Kurdistanê in Kurdish or Kurdistan Free Life Party), both are against Turkey and Iran respectively.

AmR (P)

Officer from Ninewa governor’s clan gunned down

March 15, 2009 - 01:41:29

NINEWA / Aswat al-Iraq:

Unidentified gunmen shot down a police officer belonging to the same tribe of the Ninewa governor on Sunday, a security source in the province said.

“Unknown gunmen opened fire at Lt. Colonel Dhafer Kashmoula in the area of al-Baladiya, central Mosul,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“The officer, who belongs to the clan of the incumbent Governor of Ninewa Dreid Kashmoula, died instantly of his wounds,” he added.

The source noted that the officer used to work in the Ninewa Traffic Department before he was moved a few days ago to serve in the local police in the city.

Mosul, the capital city of Ninewa province, is 405 km north of Baghdad.

AmR (P)

3 bodies found near Kirkuk

March 15, 2009 - 10:54:03

KIRKUK / Aswat al-Iraq:

Forces from the Kirkuk Districts’ Police Department found three unidentified bodies south of the city on Sunday, the department chief said.

“Showing signs of having been shot, the bodies were found near the village of Smeija, Daqquq district, (35 km) south of Kirkuk,” Brig. Sarhad Qader told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“Investigations are underway to detect the identity of the bodies and reasons of their murder,” he said.

The oil-rich city of Kirkuk lies 250 km northeast of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.

AmR (P)

U.S. forces kill woman in Mosul

March 15, 2009 - 09:41:24

NINEWA / Aswat al-Iraq:

A woman died of her wounds on Sunday when U.S. forces opened fire at her west of Mosul city, according to a security source in Ninewa.

“U.S. forces opened fire today (March 15) at a woman by mistake during a raid on her house in the district of Hmeidat, west of Mosul, wounding her seriously,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“The woman drew her last breath when the U.S. soldiers were carrying her to their base in Mosul for treatment,” he said.

“The victim’s husband was carrying a machine-gun during the raid, prompting the U.S. soldiers to believe that he was a gunman,” he added.

The U.S. side denied the incident.

Mosul, the capital city of Ninewa province, lies 405 km north of Baghdad.

AmR (P)