Unrest spreads to Bookan

SMCCDI (Information Service):

Aug 3, 2005, 18:07

Hundreds of Bookanis gathered, this evening, in order to condemn the repressive Islamic regime and to show their solidarity with the demonstrators of Marivan, Sannandaj, Oshnavieh, Saghez, Baneh and Sardasht.

Slogans against the regime and its leadership were shouted and many residents used their roofs as platform for expressing their rejection of the theocratic regime.

Noise of shooting was heard in several areas of this northwestern city and especially from the center, where most public offices are located. Reports are stating of damages made to several banks and public buildings by an angry crowd which retaliated to militiamen's brutal attacks.

Additional troops were sent from neighboring cities, such as, Kermanshah and Mian-Do-Ab by late night in order to secure the area.

Earlier, today, tens of Saghezi residents were killed or wounded following the bloody terrestrial and aerial attacks carried by the Islamic Republic's Guardians of Revolution known as the Pasdaran Corp. The attacks started as a peaceful crowd had gathered in order to condemn the persistent repression in Iran and shouting slogans hostile to the theocratic political frame and its leadership. Some of the slogans were targeting the newly appointed Islamic President who's known for his involvement in the repression of the Kurdish and other Iranian groups in the early 80s.

Helicopters was seen opening fire on demonstrators. Militiamen were seen shooting on demonstrators in several area of the city and even throwing down some who had taken refuge in some of the buildings.

Many northwestern cities have been, for the last two weeks, the daily scenes of riots and _expression of exasperation against an unpopular regime notorious for Human Rights abuses. Demonstrations leading to scattered clashes have been taking place following the publication of the mutilated body of a killed young activist who was arrested on July 9th.

It's to note that more and more of region's residents are resorting to protest following President Bush's wise statement on the "need of respecting the territorial integrity of Iran". Till then, most residents of the Iranian provinces of Kurdistan and W. Azarbaijan were fearing to become indirect tools in service of few independentist groups who are targeting to split them from Iran.