The 2013 Camp Ashraf massacre (also referred to as the September 1 massacre) was a suspected terrorist attack on the Camp Ashraf refugee camp of the People's Mujahedin of Iran (PMOI/MEK), leaving 52 PMOI members dead and 7 missing. Iraqi security forces were believed to be responsible for the assault, with guidance and support from the Iranian government. On 17 December 2013, ''

Foreign Policy Foreign policy, also known as external policy, is the set of strategies and actions a State (polity), state employs in its interactions with other states, unions, and international entities. It encompasses a wide range of objectives, includ ...

'' magazine stated that "U.S. intelligence officials believe that Iranian commandos took part" in the attack "and then spirited

way Way or WAY may refer to: Paths * a road, route, trail, path or pathway, including long-distance paths * a straight rail or track on a machine tool (such as that on the bed of a lathe) on which part of the machine slides * Ways, large slipway ...

seven members of the group back to Iran." U.S. officials said members of Iran's

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), also known as the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, is a multi-service primary branch of the Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces, Iranian Armed Forces. It was officially established by Ruhollah Khom ...

"helped plan and direct the assault on the camp... Gunmen from two of Tehran's Iraqi-based proxies,

Kata'ib Hezbollah Kata'ib Hezbollah (), also known as the Hezbollah Brigades, is an Iraqi Shia paramilitary group which is a part of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), staffing the 45th, 46th, and 47th Brigades. During the Iraq War (2003–11), the g ...

and Asaib Ahl al-Haq, then carried out the actual attack." Regarding Iraqi involvement, a U.S. official said, "Iraqi soldiers didn't get in the way of what was happening at Ashraf, but they didn't do the shooting."

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* – In a statement, UN Secretary-General

Ban Ki-moon Ban Ki-moon (born 13 June 1944) is a South Korean politician and diplomat who served as the eighth secretary-general of the United Nations between 2007 and 2016. Prior to his appointment as secretary-general, Ban was the South Korean minister ...

said he "deplores the tragic events in Camp Ashraf." The UN human rights office and the

United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) was formed on 14 August 2003 by United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 1500 at the request of the Iraqi government to support national development efforts. UNAMI's mandate includ ...

(UNAMI) also condemned the attack. * – The U.S. State Department condemned "the horrific attack." The statement added, "We also note the troubling statements issued by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) praising the attack, and call on the Government of Iran to use whatever influence it might have with groups that may be holding missing persons from the camp to secure their immediate release." * – High Representative of the European Union

Catherine Ashton Catherine Margaret Ashton, Baroness Ashton of Upholland (born 20 March 1956) is a Labour Party (UK), British Labour politician who served as the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of th ...

said, "I condemn in the strongest terms the killings that took place at Camp Ashraf." * Foreign Minister

Alistair Burt Alistair James Hendrie Burt (born 25 May 1955) is a Conservative British politician who served as Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for North East Bedfordshire from 2001 until 2019. He was previously MP for his nat ...

stated, "I am appalled to hear of the violence at Camp Ashraf in Iraq, which we understand has resulted in the death of many camp residents. We condemn this utterly, and our thoughts go out to the families of the victims." *

Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says that it has more than ten million members a ...

– The human rights organization called for "the Iraqi authorities to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Camp Ashraf massacre 2013 murders in Iraq 2013 in Diyala Governorate September 2013 in Iraq Conflicts involving the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran Iran–Iraq military relations Massacres in 2013 Massacres in the Iraqi conflict (2003–present) Terrorist incidents in Iraq in 2013 September 2013 crimes in Asia Iranian war crimes Iraqi insurgency (2011–2013)

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