Camp Ashraf, Iraq; 10 May 2003 (RFE/RL) -- The U.S. military says the Mujahedin Khalq in eastern Iraq has agreed to surrender its weapons to U.S. forces. Representatives of the group, operating northeast of Baghdad, struck the agreement after two days of negotiations with U.S. forces. The U.S. military had surrounded the Iranian opposition group since yesterday.
The U.S. Army's V Corps headquarters in Baghdad said in a statement late today that the disarming process will take several days to complete.
The Mujahedin Khalq's well-armed force, which for years fought Iran's Islamic rulers with the backing of Saddam Hussein's regime, posed a potential challenge to the U.S.-led coalition's authority in Iraq.
The V Corps statement did not use the word "surrender," and military officials said they will not describe the negotiated agreement in those terms.
The U.S. Army's V Corps headquarters in Baghdad said in a statement late today that the disarming process will take several days to complete.
The Mujahedin Khalq's well-armed force, which for years fought Iran's Islamic rulers with the backing of Saddam Hussein's regime, posed a potential challenge to the U.S.-led coalition's authority in Iraq.
The V Corps statement did not use the word "surrender," and military officials said they will not describe the negotiated agreement in those terms.