Iranian troops have entered southern Iraqi territory and taken control of an oil well, reports say.
An Iraqi official played down the incident, saying the area was abandoned and right on a disputed border section.
Iranian soldiers crossed the border and raised an Iranian flag over the Fakkah oil field, a US military spokesman told the AFP news agency.
But an Iranian oil company spokesman denied the accusation, saying no troops had taken control of any oil well.
"The company denies Iranian soldiers taking control of any oil well inside Iraqi territory," the National Iranian Oil Company spokesman was quoted as saying by Iranian media.
Confirmation
Iraq's Deputy Interior Minister confirmed the Iranians stayed in Iraq and were in control of the well.
Earlier it was reported that they had withdrawn back across the border.
Deputy Interior Minister Ahmed Ali al-Khafaji initially told the Reuters news agency the reports of the Iranian incursion were not true.
But Mr Khafaji later confirmed the incursion had taken place, and said 11 Iranians had dug-in at the oil well and had not left.
"At 3:30 this afternoon, 11 Iranian soldiers infiltrated the Iran-Iraq border and took control of the oil well. They raised the Iranian flag, and they are still there until this moment," he told the Reuters news agency.
He said there had been no military response from Iraqi forces..
"We are awaiting orders from our leader," he said.
The incursion is one of several that have occurred in the last few days, he said. ...
via BBC News - Iran troops 'seize Iraq oil well'.
Now do you understand the war in Iraq?
1 comment:
Just note the differences:
The above is from BBC: "An Iraqi official played down the incident, saying the area was abandoned and right on a disputed border section."
But, Fox news says: "Iraq demands the immediate withdrawal from well No. 4 and the Fakka oilfield, which belongs to Iraq. ... al-Fakkah oil field, located about 200 miles southeast of Baghdad. The oil field is one of Iraq's largest."
Meanwhile National Public Radio using AP: "The al-Fakkah field is considered a shared field between Iran and Iraq, meaning both nations are able to pump oil from it, but the Iraqis consider oil well No. 4 theirs."
So, which news source is instilling fear or a sense indignation from its reader?
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