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Kurdistan Region-Iraq News in brief
20.3.2008
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March 20, 2008 - Sulaimaniyah,
Erbil-Hewler, Duhok, Kirkuk, Kurdistan Region 'Iraq'
Iranian Artillery Resumes Shelling Kurdistan
Region Border Villages
The Iranian artillery has resumed shelling the
Kurdistan Region border villages in Zarawah
sub-district in Pishder area, causing heavy damages
to the area and forcing the local citizens to leave
their homes.
“Since Wednsday evening till 6 pm on Thursday the
Iranian artillery bombarded the villages surrounding
Zarawah sub-district casuing heavy damages to
Shinawa village, several houses were destroyed”,
Mayor of Zarawah , Azad Wissu exclusively told
PUKmedia on Thursday. Since the local citizens have
evacuated their villages previously, fortunately
there were no casualties, he added. Zharawah is one
of Qala Diza suburbs, it is 160 kilometers to north
of the city of Sulaimaniyah, Iraqi Kurdistan region.
Iran frequently shells the Kurdistan region border
areas on the pretext of targeting bases of the
Iranian Kurdish group PEJAK (Party of Free Life of
Kurdistan).
Sulaimaniyah… Earthquake
An earthquake with 4.2 degrees on Richter scale has
hit Sulaimaniyah city at 12:32pm Thursday.
Dara Hassan Faraj, Sulaimaniyah Meteorology manager,
said that the earthquake position was 55km to the
north and northwest of Sulaimaniyah city. He added
that the earthquake resulted in no casualties.
Unidentified War Planes Patrolling over Kurdistan
Region Border Areas
Unidentified war planes Thursday have been
patrolling over the Kurdistan region border areas in
Kirnaka, Pishtashan and Newdasht of Sangasar
sub-district, Pishder district, Sulaimaniyah
province, an exclusive source from the area told
PUKmedia.
On the other hand, 2 other unidentified war planes
have been Patrolling over the airspace of Sidakan
and Qandil areas in Bradost area of Erbil province.
The war planes didn’t bombard any places, but
causing panic among local citizens who are
celebrating Newroz Feast in their areas, a source
from the area confirmed the news. The warplanes are
still patrolling over several areas of the Kurdistan
region and the triangle border among Iraq, Iran and
Turkey including Kawart, Spiyran, Almoshe, Hert
plane, Khwakurk, Kalaki Balayan, Pirdashal, Zargali,
Lewzha and Kirnaka, the sources emphasized.
KRG Purchases Five More Crop Dusters
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) decided to
purchase five more 2005-model crop dusters to
challenge the blight that wrecks the agricultural
areas in the region, as the Director of KRG
Agricultural Aviation ,Nawroz Abdulqadir, said.
From May 2008 on, 15 trained pilots begin their work
so that the Kurdistan region will get rid of the
agricultural diseases, as the director added.
Sulaimani Embraces Nawroz Festival, Security
Tightened
On March the 20th the Nawroz Festival is expected to
commence in Sulaimaniyah. The security measures have
been tightened in the city. Governor of
Sulaimaniyah, Dana Ahmed Majid, held a press
conference today on the security procedure to secure
the city during the Newroz Festival.
Governor of Sulaimani said that 100 million ID has
been allocated to the festival, indicating that
police and security forces are on alert to establish
security and order during the festival. On the other
hand Governor of Sulaimaniyah said that the
masterminds behind the terrorist explosion in
Sulaimaniyah on March the 10th have been captured.
He also congratulated the people of Kurdistan on the
occasion of the Newroz Festival and the Kurdish New
Year hoping all happiness, peace and progress to
them. The festival will include calibrations through
the Kurdish Folk Dance and songs and with the
participation of many artistic groups. Newroz is the
Kurdish National Feast and the start of the Kurdish
New Year. Tomorrow March the 21st, will be the first
day of the New Kurdish Year of 2708 which starts
from the foundation of the Maad Kurdish State.
UNHCR Criticized Sweden for Forced Repatriation
of Iraqis
The UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR)
expressed concern over the new policy by the Sweden
government against the Iraqi asylum seekers. UNHCR
High Commissioner, Mr. António Guterres, asked the
Swedish authorities not to deport forcefully any
Iraqis from the central and southern parts of Iraq
in the current situation.
Guterres was in Stockholm on Tuesday for talks with
Swedish Migration Minister, Tobias Billström,
including a memorandum of understanding signed by
Sweden and Iraq in February in which Iraq agreed to
take back rejected asylum seekers.
The Swedish special court upon a request from the
Swedish parliament ratified a law on deportation of
those Iraqis who their cases have been refused on
claims that there is no more armed confrontation in
Iraq.
President Talabani arrives in Sulaimaniyah
VOI
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani arrived in
Sulaimaniyah city, coming from Baghdad. In a speech
that he delivered at Sulaimaniyah International
Airport, President Talabani congratulated the
Kurdish people for the Newroz occasion and the
Kurdish New Year."
"I congratulate the Kurdish people on the occasions
of Newroz and the Kurdish New Year," Talabani said
in a press conference at the airport.
He added through the speech in Arabic "I hope that
the Kurdish New Year will be a rebuilding year that
corroborates efforts to defeat terror."
Talabani proceeded, "I also hope that the Kurdish
New Year will be a year of fulfilling national
reconciliation, achieving a real national unity
government, and a year that witnesses better
services for people."
According to a source close to the Iraqi Presidency,
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani visits Sulaimaniyah
for the occasions of Newroz and the Kurdish New
Year, and to hold some meetings with the Political
Office of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (Talabani's
party), to discuss the situations in the country,
Kurdistan region, and abroad.
PUKmedia com | VOI
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