KYIV. April 6 (Interfax-AVN) - Ukrainian peacekeepers, deployed in the Iraqi towns of Al-Qut, As-Suwaira, Al-Hai, and outside Badra (a fort on the Iraqi-Iranian border), have been put on high alert, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry press-service told Interfax-Military News Agency on Tuesday.
Ukrainian servicemen are taking measures, aimed at stabilizing the situation in their area of responsibility.
"At 7:00 a.m. Moscow time (0300 GMT) on Tuesday, Ukrainian peacekeepers, deployed in the Iraqi town of Al-Qut, seized the local city hall, the television station, the bridge, and other crucial facilities. They also blocked, and then apprehended armed guerillas, who had been attempting to set up firing positions for firing at the base of the Ukrainian 6th Detached Mechanized Brigade," a press-service official said.
"Given the fact that almost the whole of Iraq was swept by rallies, conducted by radical Shiite leaders, these measures are just preventive steps," he said.
According to him, the measures were taken by the 6th Brigade in order to prevent escalation of violence and crimes towards local residents, authorities, and Ukrainian peacekeepers, operating in the Wasit province.
The Wasit province governor and the commanding officer of the 6th Brigade agreed to cut down on the number of Ukrainian peacekeeper patrols for the duration of rallies in Al-Qut. This decision was taken in order to prevent an increase in tensions, as well as an armed confrontation with participants in the rallies.