STATEMENT No. 2: At least 20 Residents Killed as Iraqi Forces Launch Deadly Assault on Camp Ashraf

WASHINGTON, April 8, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The assault by 2,500 Iraqi forces against 3,400 unarmed residents of Camp Ashraf that began at 4:45 am local time Friday, April 8, has left at least 20 residents, including four women, killed and dozens wounded.

The names of 11 of those killed are as follows: Nasser Sepahpour, Saeed Chavoshi, Mohammad Ghayoumi, Zohair Zakeri, Hanif Kefaie, Akbar Madadzadeh, Qassem Etemadi, Fereidoon Eini, Massoud Hajiloui, Mohammad Yazdandoust and Jafar Bareji. Two of the four murdered female residents were Nastaran Azimi and Fa'ezeh Rajabi

In the course of savage assault, that began simultaneous with the visit to Iraq by US Defense Secretary Robert Gates, the Iraqi forces were using armored personnel carriers and 30 caliber heavy machine guns, running down the residents and shooting indiscriminately against the unarmed and defenseless residents, including 1,000 women.

On the orders of the criminal Nuri Al-Maliki, the water to the Camp has been cut off for the past eight hours, rapidly depleting the water supplies of the residents.

General Lloyd Austin, Commander of the US Forces in Iraq, ordered the US battalion that was in Camp Ashraf for the past four days out of the Camp despite the vehement objection of the Colonel in charge of the US force, who had requested reinforcements to protect the residents.

At least 154 armored personnel carriers and military vehicles equipped with 30 and 50 caliber machine guns and commando units are taking part in the assault that is continuing at this hour.

The US Committee for Camp Ashraf residents holds the United States Government and the person of President Obama responsible for the massacre at Ashraf. The inaction of the US government is in direct contravention of its obligations under international law and the agreement it signed with each and every resident of Camp Ashraf in 2004.

SOURCE US Committee for Camp Ashraf Residents