BBC Monitoring

The Iraqi Kurdistan Islamic Group (KIG) will launch a satellite TV channel, privately-owned weekly Awene reported on 12 February.

Awene reported that the KIG had obtained permission from the Kurdistan Region Culture Ministry to launch a satellite TV channel and it had also sought cooperation from the prime minister.

The newspaper quoted KIG political bureau member Abd-al-Sattar Majid as saying: "We have the right to ask for government assistance because we are part of it. We have obtained permission from the Ministry of Culture." He added that the group was waiting for the General Security's permission for the project. Regarding the channel's funding, Majid said that it would be mainly supported by the government and KIG supporters in Kurdistan and abroad.

Source: Awene, Sulaymaniyah, in Sorani Kurdish 12 Feb 08