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Iran: Arab militias attack pro-Mousavi protesters
[ADN Kronos] Supporters of reformist candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi have reportedly claimed that pro-government Arab militias attacked protesters in Tehran following last week's presidential elections. According to witnesses quoted by pan-Arab daily al-Sharq al-Awsat, undercover security agents gave the militias orders in Farsi while one of them translated the phrases in Arabic.Witnesses claim that only after hearing the orders in Arabic would the militias begin attacking the demonstrators in an attempt to disperse them. The witnesses claim Arab involvement the murder of at least eight protesters allegedly by pro-government Basij militias. Unrest has grown in Iran since hardline presidential incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared the winner in last Friday's election - a vote the opposition claims was rigged. According to official Iranian media, Ahmadinejad received 62.3 percent of the vote, or 24.5 million votes, compared to Mousavi's 33.7 percent or 13.2 million votes. Tens of thousands of people were reported to have taken to the streets of the Iranian capital Tehran following the election results. Figures on the number of people killed in the unrest are impossible to verify as the Iranian government has imposed a ban on foreign media coverage. However, rights group Iran Human Rights quoting 'reliable sources in Tehran' as saying earlier this week that least 32 people had died in clashes with security forces since the opposition protests began last Saturday. Posted by: Fred 2009-06-20 |
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