Baghdad, March 04: Iraq has given pan-Arab satellite television channel al-Jazeera permission to reopen its bureau in Baghdad, a government official says, more than six years after it was originally banned.
“No restrictions have been placed on them, only what applies to all media in Iraq, not to provoke conflict. It is now a procedural matter as to when they re-open their bureau,” the official said.
On August 7, 2004, Iraq’s caretaker government ordered al-Jazeera to close its offices in Baghdad for 30 days following charges it was inciting violence by its reporting and broadcasting of claims by militant groups.
The following month, the ban was extended indefinitely.
——–Agencies