Iraqi PM confirms Kurds behind Mosul Attacks; 2nd Army Unit Ordered Out

GMT 10-30-2008 9:45:47Assyrian International News Agency

(AINA) -- Iraq's mainly Kurdish second army unit has been ordered out of Mosul and to Anbar for training after accusations were made that some of its members carried out the violence against the Assyrians of Mosul in the past four weeks (AINA 10-22-2008, 10-16-2008). The violence against the Christian Assyrians (also known as Chaldeans and Syriacs) of Mosul has claimed 14 lives and caused 15,000 Assyrians to flee the city, mostly to the Nineveh Plain, east of Mosul.

Iraqi PM Confirms Kurdish Involvement
Five days ago, Iraqi Parliament member Osama Al Najifi said to the Iraq News Agency on Saturday that Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki has confirmed that Kurdish political parties are carrying out the violence against Mosul's Assyrian community. "The prime minister showed me a document which he said proves the involvement of Kurdish militias in threats and killings against the Christian Assyrians in Mosul," stated Al Najifi, and said the prime minister told him "Your accusations against the Kurds have proven true." He notified the Iraqi News Agency that the committee charged with investigating the attacks on Assyrians in Mosul has clear proof of Kurdish involvement.

A source who was present at the meeting between Maliki and Al Najifi, and who has seen the documents, has confirmed to AINA that the documents show Kurdish involvement in the campaign against the Assyrians of Mosul. The documents show Kurdish Peshmerga forces were perpetrating the attacks on Assyrians.

Reports from Baghdad also say the Peshmerga in the Iraqi army are refusing to take orders from Iraqi central command and are taking orders only from Kurdish officials.