Thursday, March 28, 2024

Baghdad

University staff are targets, urged to take security precautions: ministry

 University staff  are targets, urged to take security precautions: ministry

Higher Education Ministry bulletin warns professors against terrorist attacks.

Higher Education Ministry bulletin warns professors against terrorist attacks.
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) An official letter by the Iraqi Higher Education Ministry has urged university teachers that they are targets for terrorist attacks, urging universities to take necessary security precautions for their protection.

The leaked letter, obtained by Bas News, and dated December 15th, was directed to the administrations of nine universities in the Iraqi capital, including Baghdad University. It asked teaching staff to be cautious, university security to thoroughly search their vehicles and the routes they use in their commutes to be changed periodically.

The ministry attributed its directives to “security information” it had obtained, telling of terrorist plans to target university teachers in Baghdad.

Several university teachers have either been kidnapped or killed over the past few years.

Violence surged across Iraq when Islamic State militants occupied several cities in 2014 to establish their so-called “Islamic Caliphate”. In November, the United Nations in Iraq counted at least 58000 deaths since the emergence of IS in 2014 and until September. It said early December that violence during November claimed the lives of 926 civilians and wounded 930 people.

Iraqi government forces and popular militia are currently leading a campaign to drive the extremist group out of Mosul, its last major stronghold in Iraq. But observers believe almost-daily attacks in Baghdad against civilians and security are aimed at diverting focus from the Mosul battle.

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