IRAQ: IRAQI KURDS LIVING NEAR THE FRONT LINE WITH BAGHDAD-CONTROLLED IRAQ CONTINUE LEAVING FOR REMOTE AREAS

Record ID: 647066

  • Title: IRAQ: IRAQI KURDS LIVING NEAR THE FRONT LINE WITH BAGHDAD-CONTROLLED IRAQ CONTINUE LEAVING FOR REMOTE AREAS
  • Date: 17th March 2003
  • Summary: (EU) ARBIL, IRAQ (KURDISH CONTROLLED NORTHERN IRAQ) (MARCH 17, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. SLV FAMILY OF IRAQI KURDS PREPARING TO LEAVE ARBIL AMONG FEAR OF A POSSIBLE WAR AGAINST IRAQ 0.04 2. SV MOTHER HOLDING CHILD 0.09 3. CU LUGGAGE IN BACK OF CAR 0.15 4. SV FAMILY CRAMMED INSIDE CAR 0.20 5. SLV CAR DRIVING OFF 0.28 6. LV OF TRAFFIC ON MOUNTAIN ROAD AS KURDS FLEE NORTHERN IRAQ (2 SHOTS) 0.44 7. SLV PICK-UP TRUCK FILLED WITH BELONGINGS 0.50 (EU) ARBIL CHECKPOINT, OUTSIDE ARBIL, IRAQ (MARCH 17, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 8. SLV SOLDIERS MANNING CHECKPOINT 0.56 9. SLV/SV OF SOLDIERS CHECKING VEHICLES, FAMILY CRAMMED AT BACK OF VAN (2 SHOTS) 1.06 10. MCU (Kurdish) ROSKAM MOHAMMED KARIM, FORMER ARBIL RESIDENT, SAYING: "We are going to the mountains because we are afraid chemical weapons could be used against us. I am afraid we could lose our lives, especially the lives of our small children." 1.17 11. SV/CU OF FAMILY OF IRAQI KURDS CRAMMED INTO WHITE CAR (2 SHOTS) 1.27 12. CU OF FAMILY AT BACK OF OPEN-TOP VAN (2 SHOTS) 1.38 13. MCU (Kurdish) SHIRVAN NAVI MUSTAFA, FORMER ARBIL RESIDENT, SAYING: "We are afraid of Saddam, we are afraid he is going to bomb us with chemical weapons. And we are leaving now because we may not be able to make a quick gateway later. It will be crowded on the road, and it could be difficult to get out later. It is better to leave now." 1.56 14. SLV CAR DRIVING TOWARDS MOUNTAINS 2.02 ARBIL, IRAQ (MARCH 17, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 15. SLV OF CROWDED BUS STATION AS IRAQI KURDS LEAVE ARBIL AND HEAD OUT INTO COUNTRYSIDE 2.08 16. SV OF FAMILIES GETTING INTO BUSES (5 SHOTS) 2.39 17. SLV BUS DRIVING OFF TOWARDS MOUNTAINS IN NORTH OF IRAQ 2.48 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 1st April 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ARBIL AND OUTSIDE ARBIL, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVACJ3IGP8N0KIIRTNRB14OJCR16
  • Story Text: Iraqi Kurds living near the front line with
    Baghdad-controlled Iraq continued leaving for remote areas on
    Monday (March 17) as fears over Baghdad's possible reaction to
    a U.S-led attack built up.

    They started leaving on Sunday, the fifteenth anniversary
    of a chemical attack by President Saddam Hussein on the
    Kurdish town of Halabja, making the already jumpy Kurdish
    population nervous that it may be repeated as they
    commemorated the grim event.

    Roskam Mohammed Karim decided to move his whole family
    away from Arbil, the largest city in the Kurdish-
    administered zone of northern Iraq.

    "We are going to the mountains because we are afraid
    chemical weapons could be used against us. I am afraid we
    could lose our lives, especially the lives of our small
    children."
    Shirvan Navi Mustafa said he decided to leave before it
    was too late.

    "We are afraid of Saddam, to bomb us with chemical weapons.

    And we are leaving now because we may not be able to leave
    quickly later. It will be crowded on the road, and it could be
    difficult to get out later. It is better to move out now,"
    Mustafa said.

    The Kurdish-run zone, made up of Iraq's three northernmost
    provinces, was set up in 1991 after Saddam brutally put down a
    Kurdish uprising against him at the end of the Gulf War.

    Protected by U.S. and British aircraft patrolling a no-fly
    zone, it has since been effectively independent from Baghdad.

    For several days last week people poured out of the Iraqi
    oil city of Kirkuk, in Baghdad-controlled territory near the
    Kurdish zone, and headed for Arbil and surrounding areas.


    clv/


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