Iran Sects Declare Cease-Fire

          
          Iran sects declare cease-fire
          The Sun ( 1837-1 985); Apr 23, 1979; ProQursr Hisroriral Newspapers: Baltimore See, The (1837-1986)
          pg. A4
          Iran sects
          declare
          cease-fire
          Tehra (API—Turkish and Kurd-
          ish factions eclared a cease-fire yester-
          day alter three days of fighting that took a
          reported 25 lives in the northwestern town.
          of Naghadeh. the government announced-
          But television reports said shooting
          broke out again at dark and that several
          persons were killed.
          The government said the cease-fire
          was reached after religious leaders and
          government representatives—headed by
          the west Azerbaijan governor, Gen. Mo-
          hammad Mehdi Abasi—met with leaders
          of the two sides.
          The announcement was the first indica-
          tion that members of the Turkish minority
          were involved in the fighting with the
          Kurds.
          The reasons for the lighting were not
          immediately clear, but a government
          spokesman said the cease-lire agr ement
          called for immediate negotiations.
          Naghadeh. heavily populated by Turks,
          is In west Azerbaijan province, about 15
          miles northwest of Mahabad. a major
          Kurdish city. Observers said they did not
          believe the rivalry was religious in nature
          since both groups belong to the Sunni Mus-
          limsecL
          The fighting erupted Friday after uni-
          dentified gunmen opened fire on a politi-
          cal rally of the Kurdish Democratic Front
          party , killing a reported 25 persons and in-
          juring many others.
          About 600 government troops were
          sent to the town, but held back at first
          when fired upon with weapons apparently
          stolen when Islamic revolutionary forces
          toppled the government of Shah Moham-
          mad Reza Pah lavi in February.
          The fighting In Naghadeh was the third
          major explosion of political violence in
          the country since the shah was toppled.
          Last month Kurdish autonomists battled
          government and revolutionary forces in
          the Kurdish capital of Sanandaj for about
          a week, Turkoman tribesmen earlier this
          month fought with Islamic revolutionary
          forces in the northeastern town of Gon
          bad-e Kavus.
          In other developments, the religious
          leader of the Sunni Muslims in Khuzestan
          province announced he was leaving the
          country to protest actions of Iran's revolu-
          tionary committees.
          Sheik Mohammad Taher al Shoheir
          Khaqani said the situation ia”has be-
          come unbearable.”
          Reprodsoed with permissios of the oapydght oweer. Ferther repradoctioe prohibited without permissioe.