Norway’s Foreign Minister condemns attack on Camp Liberty in Iraq

“I condemn the attack on Camp Liberty last night. Reports indicate that several people were killed and a number of civilians and Iraqi police officers injured,” said Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide.

Camp Liberty is a temporary transit facility for former residents of Camp Ashraf, which was established by Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq war for members of the Iranian exile group Mujahedin-e-Khalq. In 2011, agreement was reached on the closure of Camp Ashraf and the temporary transfer of its residents to Camp Liberty. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees is seeking to clarify the status of the residents with a view to resettlement in third countries. Norway is supporting this work, and has repeatedly emphasised that the Iraqi authorities are responsible for the rights and security of the camp’s residents. 

“The Iraqi authorities must ensure the safety and security of the camp. They must also investigate the attack and bring those responsible to justice,” said the Foreign Minister.

The attack on Camp Liberty is not an isolated incident. Ten years after the fall of Saddam Hussein, Iraq is still suffering regular attacks. In the past five years, they have killed 200–300 people every month.