Defense Ministry spokesman General Mohammed al-Askari told reporters in Baghdad last week that Iraq would supply the runaways with documents needed for leaving the country. Al-Askari sat next to four Iranians at the press conference who he said had been held hostage at the camp, but had managed to escape.
“We have information from inside the camp that many residents do not want to stay, but remain there under coercion and threats from leaders of the group,” he said.
The camp now holds about 3,400 people. About 300 others have left the camp since it was captured by the US Army in 2003 and returned voluntarily to Iran. A handful with citizenship in other countries has also been able to leave.
Leaders of the Mojahedin at Ashraf issued a response to al-Askari’s statements, discrediting the four escapees as agents of Tehran’s Ministry of Intelligence. The group says the residents of Camp Ashraf choose to live there of their own will.
Camp Ashraf has garnered additional attention since an April 8 assault on the camp by Iraqi soldiers that killed 34. Iraqi officials deny any responsibility, but UN officials report seeing 28 bodies of shooting victims and three bodies that had been run over by vehicles. Since April 8, reporters and US congressman have been denied entrance to the camp by Iraq.