إذاعة العراق الحرّ | |
| Formation | 30 October 1998 |
|---|---|
| Defunct | July 31, 2015 |
| Purpose | Broadcast Media |
| Headquarters | Prague Broadcast Center,Prague, Czech Republic |
Parent organization | U.S. Agency for Global Media |
| Website | www |
Radio Free Iraq (Arabic:إذاعة العراق الحرّ,romanized: Izaa'at al 'Iraaq al Hurr) was a 24-hour radio station broadcasting inArabic fromPrague,Czech Republic, and directed toIraq and the Iraqi diaspora. It started its broadcasts on 30 October 1998[1] and was part of the programming ofRadio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), which is funded by theUnited States Congress. The radio station also ran an online edition which had regularly updated news and reports in Arabic.
Iraqi presidentSaddam Hussein ordered theIraqi Intelligence Service, to "violently disrupt the Iraqi broadcasting of Radio Free Europe". A plot to attack the Prague headquarters with anRPG-7 from a window across the street had been foiled by the CzechSecurity Information Service (BIS).[2]
The service ended on July 31, 2015,[3] after what RFE/RL characterized as a merger withRadio Sawa Iraq,[4] part of the Arabic-language Sawa service that replaced theVoice of America Arabic service.