COALITION
JOINT TASK FORCE - SEVEN
NEWS RELEASE
DSN 318.438.2289/COM 99.001.468.2289
May 12, 2003
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Coalition Efforts Aid Iraq's Recovery
CAMP DOHA, Kuwait - Coalition forces continue to assist in developing a safer and more secure environment in Iraq. Among recent developments:
AL HILLAH
Marines of the 4th Marine Regiment completed 15 joint patrols with local police. During one joint Iraqi-Marine cordon/search mission, they found a significant weapons cache. Civil Affairs Marines also paid all the Al Hillah police and power department employees, improving their morale and confidence in Coalition actions.
Four 15-person Marine teams are working at four different schools, making minor repairs, painting, electrical repairs and cleaning school buildings.
I MEF developed a plan to provide enhanced security to protect electrical power stations, substations and electrical supply warehouses from looting and insurgents.
Sewage service is at pre-war levels, water service is deemed safe and reliable, and electrical power is better than pre-war levels.
AS SAMAWAH
5th Marine Regiment personnel conducted the first day of a 2-day training package for the local police department, which included 50 new recruits attending, and 10 current traffic police.
5th Marine Regiment personnel met with representatives from the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA) and a local sheikh to discuss area concerns. Marine Government Support Team representatives attended the town council meeting to discuss issues relating to food, sanitation, power and health..
AD DIWANIYAH
5th Marine Regiment personnel conducted five joint Iraqi-Marine patrols and manned eight joint static security positions. The Marines also conducted a combined Marine-Army-Iraqi operation to cordon and search an area near the city, where a large number of stolen goods were located and confiscated, including ammunition and weapons.
5th Marine Corps Regiment Civil Affairs personnel met with all 33 judges from Qadisyah Province, who elected a representative to Coalition Forces by popular vote. Civil Affairs personnel also continue to work with the local police chief to finalize details concerning the arrest and confinement of lawbreakers.
Power and electricity in the city are at pre-war levels, but personnel are seeing constant improvement.
AN NAJAF
The 7th Marine Regiment's Government Support Team has been working to improve conditions at the local University Hospital. United States Navy Seabees are working to replace 50 meters of pipe in the sewage treatment plant to improve the filtering process efficiency, which is only operating at 50 percent.
The local newspaper began printing a two-page newsletter after receiving support from the Marines for materials and printing.
KARBALA
The 7th Marine Regiment continues joint patrols with the Karbala Police Department (KPD) and the Karbala Protection Force (KPF). They began reissuing small arms to the criminal police division to assist them in their ability to enforce the law. Marine Civil Affairs Teams conducted the second day of police cadre training.
The second train-the-trainer course began yesterday with the 2/23 Marines observing and critiquing Iraqi police officers who graduated from the course last week. Joint patrols with KPF, KPD and Marines received good reviews from commanders. The KPF is active and decisive in law enforcement, while training should stiffen the resolve of the KPD and create a force capable of operating without Marines.
Marine Explosive Ordnance Disposal personnel liaisoned with the local fire department's Hazardous Material Branch to address clearing unexploded ordnance (UXO). Marines also assisted CARE personnel in their efforts to repair and improve sewage treatment facilities.
AN NAJAF
Marines of the 7th Marine Regiment paid successful police trainees a $10 bonus after completing the first 48-hour training block. They began another police academy class with 130 students attending.
Marine engineers continued painting and carpentry repairs at several local schools.
MOSUL
101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) staff met with UN Humanitarian mine action representatives to assess the mine/UXO issue and exchange information on contamination and clearance.
AR RAMADI
The deputy police chief will meet with Coalition Forces daily, 1000, to coordinate joint patrols.
3ID continues presence patrols at the Ministry of Agriculture complex and daily patrols to help secure fuel stations. Focus remains maintaining security for civilian and government property in the sector.
Members of the 101stAirborne Division's (Air Assault) 3-187 Infantry Battalion paid private contractors to clean up the Rasheed sector by coordinating through the Rasheed Department of Public Works, which serves the entire southwest portion of Baghdad. Nine sectors, including Al Mahdi, Al Masafi, Al Mechanic, Al Jihad, Al Amil, Al Siha, Al Saydiya, Al Risala and Al Baya'a organized teams of three dump trucks and one front-end bucket loader to pick up and dispose of trash.
The two major banks in the province are currently open from 0900-1300. The other three banks will open tomorrow.
Coalition Forces over watched the delivery of 90,000 liters of benzene yesterday.
Coalition Forces continue to secure vehicles in the Ar Ramadi Hospital parking lot. They are also checking vehicles that depart the Maternity and Children's Hospital to ensure medical personnel affiliated with the old regime are not taking medical supplies and selling them.
2/5 FA escorted four semi-trucks of food for delivery to the food distribution site today.
BAGHDAD
V Corps provided a 14-vehicle convoy for security to ORHA's Senior Liaison to Ministry of Justice who paid all personnel in the Ministry of Justice and two operating courthouses in Baghdad.
Approximately 1,000 of the total 3,500 police available for duty have been paid.
The 352d Public Health Team, ORHA and TF Fajr personnel met with a total of 18 Governate Ministers of Health to discuss the future of Iraq Health Program and possible new solutions and approaches to some of their current issues such as distribution of medications, delivering emergency pay, salary payments and other administrative and logistical issues.
During the same meeting, 352d PHT led a committee that is planning the future of nursing and developing a new nursing curriculum. The committee consists of 352d Civil Affairs Command Registered Nurses, Ministry of Health Chief Nurse and committed NGOs. The nurse committee addressed and explained their plan to all 18 Ministry of Health Governates, including other attendees.
Personnel from Prime Power and 352d PHT continue to visit hospitals within Medical City to ensure generators have been repaired. At Adnan Khirallah Hospital, three out of four generators are operating.
The 3d Medical Command's Preventive Medicine Drtachment will support the Baghdad Water Authority, the General Corporation for Water and Sewerage and the Ministry of Health by collecting samples and performing the bacteriological testing of drinking water. The Theater Army Medical Laboratory is available to run the tests if the detachment could not do so. The 354th Civil Affairs Brigade will coordinate the efforts of 3d MEDCOM in meeting this need until the labs of the three responsible governmental organizations can reconstitute.
TIKRIT
Combined Coalition and National Police patrols began, 10 May, and a U.S. Military Police Command Post established at the host nation police station. A U.S. and Iraqi desk sergeants monitor combined patrols. A total of 10 patrols are active at any one time with six remaining static and four roving.
Food Distribution warehouse activated. Estimated 60-80 food wholesalers participating.
MOSUL
MG William Webster, Assistant Deputy Commander (Operations) attended a follow-up harvest meeting in Mahkmur. The representatives agreed to divide the harvest with 55 percent going to the farmers and 45 percent going to land owners. The mayor approved resuming harvesting tomorrow.
The Mosul Fire Department will provide one truck and four personnel six days a week to the 101st Abn Div (AA) Area Supply Point until all UXO stored there are destroyed.
The 431st CA Battalion will holdan NGO meeting today at the Civil Military Operations Center to follow up on propane, water and power information requests. Other topics include seeking ORHA funding, coordinating the delivery of emergency payments to civil servants and other funding issues,.
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