Iraqi Gunmen Shoot at Kurdish Officials

[DuctapeFatwa]

Gunmen in northern Iraq opened fire on a convoy carrying senior Kurdish officials Tuesday, wounding three bodyguards, a spokesman said.

Officials of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan were leaving the city of Mosul in their cars when the gunmen attacked, said Mullah Bakhtiar, a spokesman for the PUK, one of two parties governing the Kurds' self-rule zone in northern Iraq.

Northern Iraq has seen increasing tensions between Kurds and Arabs as the Kurds press their demands to maintain self-rule powers in a future government. Insurgents also have stepped up attacks on Iraqi policemen in the north.

On Feb. 1, suicide bombers attacked offices of the PUK and the other main Kurdish party in the city of Irbil, killing 109 people.

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/ap20040302_1560.html

[Barrett808]

1. Nice bookend w/ this story: Peshmargas Raid Iraqi Turkmen Front Center

Peshmargas Raid Iraqi Turkmen Front Center

Members of the Peshmarga militia staged an attack on the Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF) Center yesterday in the northern Iraqi city of Kerkuk(Kirkuk). The raid took place around 5 p.m. while some Turkmen youth were having a party. The Peshmargas looted the Center and caused a fair amount of damage.

During the raid, Turkmen flags were reportedly ripped from vehicles and torn to shreds. The raid added to the already worsening tension between Kurdish and Turkmen groups. U.S. forces intervened in the incident and declared marshal law at 6 p.m. Due to the tight security measures it has been difficult to confirm the accuracy of the reported events.

Elsewhere, several Turkmen are on hunger strike to protest the Constitution prepared by the Iraqi Temporary Governing Council (TGC). The protestors are unhappy that the proposed Constitution does not grant basic rights to Turkmen. Reportedly, after meeting with U.S. officials, the protestors decided to end their hunger strike. Meanwhile, it was disclosed that the Peshmarga raid on the ITF Center took place after the Turkmen activists had met with ITF officials.

http://www.zaman.org/?bl=international&alt=&trh=20040302&hn=5859