PUK forces reportedly repulse a major attack by Ansar al-Islam forces

Iraqi Kurdistan Dispatch, 5 July 2002

Forces of Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, PUK, repulsed an attack by Ansar al-Islam group forces, a Kurdish Islamic armed group, said a PUK military statement, broadcast by PUK satellite channel, KurdSat yesterday, 4 July.

The statement, which was signed by the general command of the 'Kurdistan Peshmerga Armed Forces', said that Ansar al-Islam "at 1.30 am [local time] on 4 July 2002, launched a massive attack against the Kurdistan Peshmerga Forces from Girda Drozna, Tapi Safa, Tapa Kurra and Shashka [villages]", close to the Iranian borders.

Ansar al-Islam, or Supporters of Islam in Kurdistan, AIK, stems from the former Jund al-slam group, or Soldiers of Islam, which changed its name following a merger, last December, between Jund al-Islam and Mala Krekar group, a former military figure in the Iraqi Kurdistan Islamic Movement and a veteran of the Afghan war during the Soviet occupation. Jund al-Islam was established on 1 September last year.

This is the second round of fighting between PUK and the group. Three weeks after its establishment, Jund al-Islam forces attacked and slaughtered more than 40 PUK fighters, which led to a heavy armed confrontation between both sides.

The PUK military statement, on 4 July, said "In this battle, the heroes of the forces of Zalim, Hawraman, Sharazur, the special forces of Sharazur and Battalion three of the [PUK-led Suleimaniya based] Ministry of Peshmerga played a significant role in defeating and foiling the attack. They [Ansar al-Islam forces] left a number of bodies behind and many of them sustained injuries".

The statement said eight members of the PUK forces were killed and six injured, while the pro-Islamic Ayobi.com Arabic language web site, quoting Ansar al-Islam sources, reported that "PUK forces have lost 40 fighters, including important military field commanders, and a large number were injured."

The number of casualties could not be confirmed independently.

Jund al-Islam, now Supporters of Islam, was reported by PUK officials and London-based Arabic newspapers to have Afghan Arabs in their ranks, as well as Kurds who served in Afghanistan and Chechnya. It was also reported that the group was financed by Al-Qaeda organization and its members were trained in Afghanistan. Their headquarters are based in Biyara and Tawela townships, a few kilometres from the Iranian border.

The PUK statement said Ansar al-Islam gunmen were "forced to return to Khurmal... and they fled using the main road." The statement added that an Islamic party in the area turned a blind eye.

Khurmal, a township close to the Iranian borders, is the stronghold of the Islamic Group in Kurdistan, led by Mala Ali Bapir, which has official relations with the PUK.

Ansar al-Islam is also believed to be behind the recent series of bomb attacks in Iraqi Kurdistan. The latest attack was a blast which occurred on 26 June, at a family restaurant in the regional capital, Arbil, injuring scores of people, mostly women and children and one casualty, an 8-year old boy who died later in the hospital.

The two major political parties, which rule over the Kurdish-controlled region of Iraq, the Kurdistan Democratic Party, KDP and the PUK, have recently established a joint "anti-terror operation command centre" to combat terrorist activities in Iraqi Kurdistan region.

Iraqi Kurdistan Dispatch, news, 5 July 2002 http://www.ikurd.info/news-05jul-p1.htm