Organization of Iraqi Revolutionary Communists

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Cover of Al-Asas May 1980 issue, published after the killing of Ash-Shaikhli

Iraqi Revolutionary Communists (Arabic: تنظيم الشيوعيين الثوريين العراقيين) was the name of an Iraqi political organization, founded in 1973.[1] The group was formed as a split from the Revolutionary Committee of the Iraqi Communist Party led by Salim al-Fakhri.[1][2][3] The group was led by Tahsin Ali Ash-Shaikhli (alias 'Yahia al-Iraqi').[2][3]

Ash-Shaikhli had been a student activist and joined the Revolutionary Committee in 1964.[1] He was jailed in 1969.[1] Following his release in 1970 he escaped to Jordan but left for Beirut following Black September.[1] In Beirut Ash-Shaikhli maintained contacts with revolutionary leaders such as Abdullah Öcalan.[1]

The Organization of Iraqi Revolutionary Communists called for complete rejection of Baathist rule and appealed for armed struggle against the regime.[4] Moreover, it questioned why the Iraqi Communist Party had entered into an alliance with the Baathists, and issued criticism against perceived lack of internal democracy in the Communist Party.[4]

The organization published a periodical called al-Asas from Beirut.[4][2][3][5]

Ash-Shaikhli was assassinated in Beirut on March 24, 1980, allegedly by agents of the Iraqi regime.[1] Another key cadre of the group, Ali, was killed in Kurdistan.[5]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g pukmedia.com. عادل مراد: الشهيد تحسين الشيخلي رمز من رموز الحركة الشيوعية العراقية
  2. ^ a b c خرسان، صلاح (2001). صفحات من تاريخ العراق السياسي الحديث "الحركات الماركسية" 1920-1990. مؤسسة العارف للمطبوعات.
  3. ^ a b c زبيدي، حسن لطيف كاظم (2007). موسوعة الأحزاب العراقية: الأحزاب والجمعيات والحركات السياسية والقومية والدينية في العراق. مؤسسة العارف للمطبوعات،.
  4. ^ a b c Ismael, Tareq Y. The Rise and Fall of the Communist Party of Iraq. Cambridge/New York: Cambridge University Press, 2008. pp. 189-190
  5. ^ a b Near East/South Asia Report (84160 ed.). Foreign Broadcast Information Service. 1984. p. 36.