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Five dead in Iraq anti-Kurds demo
Five people are believed dead and dozens more wounded after gunfire erupted during a demonstration in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk. About 2000 Arab and Turkmen protestors marched on the headquarters of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), one of the two main Kurdish factions, to demonstrate against a push by the city's Kurdish majority to incorporate the oil-rich centre into an autonomous Kurdish province. Protestors surrounded the building, chanting "No to federalism, Kirkuk is Iraqi" when clashes erupted.
| I thought the general idea was that the Kurds are Iraqis, too? |
Police said Kurdish fighters known as peshmergas opened fire on the demonstrators. Two people died on arrival at Kirkuk General Hospital, while a third died later of his wounds, hospital director Hashim Muhammad told AFP. Other sources quote another two died. A total of 31 people were wounded, five of them seriously, Muhammad said, adding doctors were operationg on the most serious casualties who were wounded in the head, abdomen and heart. Peshmerga guarding the PUK headquarters told Aljazeera's correspondent that the protesters had weapons and they were shooting at them (guards). However, protesters denied the allegations, saying they did not have any arms. "The peshmerga opened fire at the protesters," they told the correspondent.
| The old unarmed protesters ploy, is it? Somehow I can't see a protest without a few AKs being involved... |
Witnesses said US tanks and armoured vehicles quickly moved in to seal off the area, fanning out near the PUK offices and a local government building to keep protestors at bay.
"Is that a riot, sir?"
"I think it's a political discussion. Lock and load, just in case I'm wrong." |
Representatives of Iraqi Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr, backing the Turkmen, were present at the rally. Many chanted "Kirkuk, Kirkuk is an Iraqi city. No to federalism" and "We want the Kurds to leave Kirkuk".
| "Thank you for your participation in our political discussion. Please leave your number with the peshmerga and we'll get back to you." |
Police chief Shirku Shakir Hakim said he told the demonstrators to stay on the edge of the town to avoid clashes with Kirkuk's Kurds. The Arabs appeared to hail mainly from outlying towns around Kirkuk. Despite guerrilla attacks, Kirkuk, a volatile mix of Kurdish, Arab and Turkmen, has avoided serious confrontation, thanks to a city council representing all of the city's communities, with a Kurdish mayor and Arab deputy. "They are coming to protest from Hawija, Tarjil and Tuz Kharmatu more than from Kirkuk," said Police Colonel Burhan Tayyib Habib, speaking about outlying areas which the Kurds want to incorporate into a Kurdish federalist zone.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2004-01-01 |
