Iraqi TV station attacked by gunmen after broadcasting protests

Iraqi TV station attacked by gunmen after broadcasting protests

2011-02-21 01:30:18 GMT+7 (ICT)

SULAIMANIYA (BNO NEWS) -- A group of armed men on Sunday set fire to the office of the Kurdish NRT Channel in northern Sulaimaniya and wounded one of its guards, Aswat al-Iraq news agency reported.

"About 30 armed men have broken through the Kurdish NRT Channel in the so-called 'German Village' north of Sulaimaniya, wounding one of its guards in the chest and completely burning its office," a security source said.

"This caused disruptions to the transmission of the channel that used to carry out reports about recent demonstrations and the city," the source added.

Hundreds of protesters have taken to the streets in Sulaimaniya in the past days to demand better living conditions, an end to corruption and political reforms. Last Thursday, seven people were killed and 47 others wounded after police shot at the crowd of protesters outside of the KDP building, where the demonstrators gathered.

Sulaimaniya Govenor, Pahruz Mohammed, had announced a curfew between 07:00 p.m. and 07:00 a.m. local time, whilst three headquarters of the Kurdish opposition Goran (Change) Movement were set on fire in Arbil, Dohuk and Suran cities, causing no injuries.

An eyewitness told Aswat al-Iraq news agency that the channel had been covering the demonstrations and transmitted video shots of a young man, called Rizwan, who was shot dead during the demonstrations.

The NRT Channel is led by Twana Othman, who held the post of Editor-in-Chief of the Kurdish Hawlaty newspaper, that used to carry reports against the government of north Iraq's Kurdistan Region's government.

Mohammed announced after the attack that a special committee had been formed to investigate the attack and burning of the Kurdish NRT Channel.

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