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A massive demonstration against Iraqi
forces in Khaneqin
26.8.2008
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August
26, 2008
DIYALA, Iraq,—, A massive demonstration
will be staged on Tuesday against the entry of Iraqi
security forces into Khaneqin district, the mayor of
the district said on Monday, noting that the forces
set up checkpoints throughout Khaneqin.
“Large Iraqi army force entered Khaneqin today and
set up checkpoints,” Mohamed Mulla Hassan told VOI.
“There are political reasons behind the entry of the
forces because they entered in the pretext of
hunting down gunmen in a region,www.ekurd.net
which is considered one
of the most stable regions in Iraq,” Hassan added.
“Residents, local administration and Kurdish parties
reject this interference and will announce that
during the protest tomorrow,” he also said.
Kurdish Peshmerga forces
withdraw from Khaneqin on August 19,
the Peshmerga brigade, comprising 4,000 troops, was
located in Diyala to protect the Kurdish civilians
in the district.
Diyala province, a restive part of Iraq outside the
Kurdish autonomous zone but home to many Kurds.
Last July, thousands of Iraqi soldiers and police
launched a major security operation dubbed as
Bashaer al-Kheir (Promise of Good) in northeastern
Diala province in the latest move by the government
to assert its authority over militants.
Diala province extends to the northeast of Baghdad
as far as the Iranian border. Its capital is Baaquba,
57 km northeast of Baghdad. It covers an area of
17,685 square kilometers (6,828 sq mi).
A large portion of the province is drained by the
Diala River, a major tributary of the Tigris.
Because of its proximity to two major sources of
water,www.ekurd.net
Diala's main industry is
agriculture, primarily dates grown in large Date
Palm groves. It is also recognized as the orange
capital of the Middle East.
In January 2008 Operation Phantom Phoenix was
launched in an attempt to eradicate the remnants of
al-Qaeda network following the Diala province
campaign between 2006 and 2007.
Copyright, respective author or news agency, VOI
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