Opposition says Iran planted mine on Iraq's Basra-Baghdad highway

Agence France Presse

February 25, 2000


NICOSIA, Feb 25 - Iranian forces planted a mine on the main highway between Iraqi capital Baghdad and the country's major southern port of Basra, the Iranian armed opposition group the People's Mujahedeen said Friday.

In a statement received in Nicosia, the group said the mine exploded at 9:00 a.m. (05:00 GMT) Thursday at a spot 90 kilometres (50 miles) north of Basrah, damaging passing cars, including one being usd by the Mujahedeen, in the blast.

"The door of a Mujahedeen vehicle was also damaged and two occupants of the car were injured," it said.

The Iraq-based Mujahedeen said this was the 85th "terrorist" attack by Iran against resistance forces in Iraqi territory since 1993.

The Mujahadeen frequently claim attacks on Iranian security forces inside Iran, the latest being a mortar attack on a headquarters of the elite Revolutionary Guards in Najaf, western Iran, in which they said a number of guards were killed.

bfp/mb