Albania police raid exiled Iran opposition camp, 1 member killed 

Police in Albania have raided a camp belonging to the exiled Iranian opposition group, Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (MEK), leaving one member killed and dozens injured.

The raid was carried out yesterday at the Ashraf-3 camp in Manez, a small town 30 kilometres (about 20 miles) west of the capital Tirana. According to Albanian Interior Minister Bledi Cuci and the head of the national police, Muhamet Rrumbullaku, both police officers and Iranian dissidents were injured during the operation.

At a press conference, Cuci was quoted as saying, “I guarantee you that no person was touched during the police operation,” adding that the reaction of the MEK was “unacceptable, intolerable, and reprehensible.” The MEK have claimed that an elderly individual died as a result of tear gas used by the police.

AP reported that police also seized 150 computer devices allegedly linked to prohibited political activities. After the group relocated from Iraq, an agreement  signed in 2013 between the Albanian government and the MEK offered sanctuary on the condition that they do not engage in any political activity and must abide by the country’s laws.

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The MEK is regarded as a cult in Iran where it is a designated terrorist organisation. It was once designated as such by the US and Britain.

Reacting to the development, the US State Department said: “The Albanian State Police have assured us that all actions were conducted in accordance with applicable laws, including with regard to the protection of the rights and freedoms of all persons in Albania. We support the Government of Albania’s right to investigate any potential illegal activities within its territory.”

A statement issued by the MEK-affiliated National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) compared the incident to the clampdown faced by the group in Iraq where they were previously based: “The actions of the Albanian police are reminiscent of the criminal attacks by Nouri al-Maliki forces on Camp Ashraf in Iraq between 2009 and 2015.”

The MEK have also expressed fury after French police in Paris refused to grant permission for a major rally scheduled for next month, citing security concerns. The NCRI and MEK have accused the French government of falling under “pressure” from Tehran.