The Iraqi government condemned Iranian surface-to-surface missile attacks on opposition bases inside Iraq on Wednesday that reportedly left several dead, said AFP.
"Iraq condemns this cowardly Iranian act of aggression which constitutes a flagrant violation of the UN charter and the rules of international law," a government spokesman said, quoted by the official INA news agency.
He said Iranian forces had fired 56 surface-to-surface missiles at Iraqi territory and that Tehran would bear "full responsibility under international law for the human and material losses caused by this cowardly aggression."
The Iranian outlawed opposition group, Mujahedden Khalq had said earlier that more than 50 Scud missiles fired by Tehran on Wednesday hit border camps run by Iran's armed opposition movement in Iraq, killing one combatant and several Iraqis.
"At least one member of the Mujahadeen, Reza Zahmatkesh, was killed, and several Iraqi civilians died and others were injured," in and around the towns of Jalawla and Basra, a spokesman told AFP.
"The Mullahs' regime of Iran launched a new missile attack at dawn Wednesday against Mujahedeen positions ... which were hit by at least 44 Scud missiles," said Farid Suleimani.
He said another 13 Scuds hit other Mujahedeen camps and nearby Iraqi towns several hours later.
Al Jazeera satellite channel showed footage of Khalq members posing for cameras with parts of the exploded missiles in their hands.
The station correspondent in Tehran said Iran has not claimed the attacks, and ruled out that the development has any connection with the security pact signed by the Islamic republic and Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
There have been reports of confrontations between the opposition group and Iranian security forces, who toil to prevent infiltration into Iran's territory.
The Iraqi casualties had not been confirmed by officials when contacted by AFP.
Missiles crashed around bases in southern Iraq at Al-Habib, near Basra, Faeza, near the town of Kut, Al-Amara and Khales, as well as at Ashraf, 190 kilometers (115 miles) east of Baghdad, the spokesman said.
The spokesman insisted that it was Scud missiles that were used, with the missiles leaving craters 12 meters (40 feet) across, and four to five meters (13 to 16 feet) deep.
Meanwhile, Mujahedeen leader Massoud Rajavi called on the UN Security Council to condemn the Iranian leadership for its use of "weapons of mass destruction, for exporting crises and war-mongering."
The Mujahadeen presence in Iraq is a major stumbling block to the normalization of ties between Tehran and Baghdad, who have failed to sign a peace treaty since the end of their eight-year war in 1988 - Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)