• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

NEWS RELEASE HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND 7115 South Boundary Boulevard MacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101 Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894

May 6, 2003
Release Number: 03-05-20


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


COALITION EFFORTS AID IRAQ'S RECOVERY

AS SAYLIYAH, Qatar - Coalition forces continue to assist in developing a safer, more secure environment in Iraq. Among recent developments:

. Iraqi and U.S. military engineers have made the majority of the 132 kilovolt systems in Baghdad operable and now are focusing on the 400 kilovolt 'Super Grid' system to have the majority of it working prior to the peak summer load time.

. Marine Corps Civil Affairs personnel coordinated the payment of the Ar Rumaythah police as well as coordinating the delivery of food and supplies to alleviate shortages in the city of Ad Diwaniyah.

. The 1st United Kingdom Armored Division coordinated the delivery of 14 thousand metric tons of World Food Program donated rice to Umm Qasr.

. Security and stability in southern Iraq has enabled many governmental, non-governmental and private relief organizations to begin work there. These organizations include, but are not limited to: Ockenden International, Dan Church Aid, Mine Action Team, World Food Program, Amnesty International, Star of Hope, International Community of the Red Cross, Human Rights Watch, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, United Nations Development Program, Lee & Associates Rescue Equipment, Inc., United Nations Children's Fund, US Agency for International Development, Knowledge Discovery & Data mining, Lima Petroleum Services, Bechtel Corporation, and the governments of Japan and Spain.

. The 1st Marine Division completed assessments of Al Hillah, As Samawah, Ad Diwaniyah, An Najaf, Karbala, and Al Kufah. Additionally, USAID and their Disaster Assistance Response Teams also assessed these towns as permissive. Both assessments concluded that the areas are reasonably safe to conduct the needed humanitarian assistance projects along with the help of desiring agencies.

. The United Nations Security Coordinator is beginning to conduct assessments in designated areas of Iraq.

. The Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance is starting operations in Al Hillah.

. The Iraqi Refugee Aid Counsel continues to deliver humanitarian assistance in An Najaf and Karbala.

. Marines from the 1st Marine Division have been conducting joint patrols with the local police in several cities to maintain the peace.

o In Al Hillah May 4, Marines began cleaning and renovating police sub-stations throughout the city. They anticipate being able to operate out of the sub-stations by May 7.

o In As Samawah, Marines of the 5th Regiment and Iraqi civilian police conducted four joint Iraqi-Marine patrols and manned five joint traffic control points.

o Marines in Ad Diwaniyah assisted in the reorganization of the local police force with an emphasis on retaining quality personnel over the quantity of officers. The Marines hired 277 regular and traffic police officers and continued joint patrols.

o Marines in An Najaf are working closely with the police chief and the mayor of the city in the implementation of a new training plan for the local police department. The 7th Marine Regiment paid most of the police force in An Najaf yesterday. They are also focusing on developing a program of police training with the intent of increasing the professionalism of the Iraqi police there.

o The Karbala police department will be receiving weapons from the Marines to assist in law enforcement once the details of their training program are finalized.

. Task Force Tarawa continues to make strides in south central Iraq and has coordinated a regular propane refilling scheduled to begin soon.
o Substation repairs continue and the international humanitarian organization known as GOAL has delivered 5 tons of medical supplies and continues re-stocking of hospitals.
o Among the relief agencies involved in the area are: GOAL, USAID, DART, International Medical Corps, World Health Organization, Operation Mercy, Refugees International, UNICEF, Star of Hope and the Kuwait Red Crescent.

. Two hundred and twenty eight Iraqi soldiers captured during Operation Iraqi Freedom were released after accepting parole.

. Three thousand, four hundred and twenty-six Iraqi soldiers captured during OIF have been paroled to date.

. Additionally, 3,217 Iraqi soldiers have been released after determining they were noncombatants.

. Currently, approximately 2,400 enemy prisoners of war are being detained by the Coalition.