AhlulBayt News Agency - Iraqi authorities have revoked the operating licence of the pan-Arab satellite network Al Jazeera and closed its offices in Baghdad, accusing it of promoting a sectarian agenda, violating government guidelines issued in 2014 to regulate media “during the war on terror.”
"We remain committed to broadcasting news on Iraq to Iraqi people, our viewers in the Arab world and across the world," the channel claimed in an emailed statement.
Iraq's media commission accused the stations of misleading and exaggerated reports, as well as of airing "clear calls for disorder and for launching retaliatory criminal attacks against security forces". It also blamed the stations for promoting "banned terrorist organisations who committed crimes against Iraqi people".
In 2013, Iraq's government accused Al Jazeera and nine other satellite television channels of fostering sectarian sentiment that was fuelling violence.
Founded by Qatar's ruling family in 1996, Al Jazeera aggressively covered the Arab spring uprisings and has broadcast extensively on the civil war in Syria.
Qatar itself is a harsh critic of the Syrian government and a leading backer of the terrorist rebels, and has been accused by many supporters of Iraq's government of backing dissent in Iraq.
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