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Iraq's Defense Ministry has announced that several residents of Camp Ashraf have fled the camp and appealed to Iraqi military forces for help. 

Camp Ashraf, which is located some 60 kilometers from Baghdad and 100 kilometers from the border with Iran, is home to some 3,500 members of the Iranian opposition group Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO, aka People's Mujahedin of Iran). Iran has banned the group, and like the United States, considers it a terrorist organization. Iraq has said the camp must go.

Last week, 34 camp residents were killed during a raid by Iraqi forces under circumstances that are not clear. 

The MKO says camp residents were killed by Iraqi forces. The Iraqi government, however, says it believes about 30 people were shot dead by guards at the camp. 

The UN and rights groups have called for an independent investigation into the deaths. 

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