Release # 03-05-81

CAMP DOHA, Kuwait - Coalition Forces continue to assist in developing a safer and more secure environment in Iraq. Among recent developments:

BAGHDAD

3rd Infantry Division recently:

· Delivered $7 million in medical supplies to Baghdad medical centers.

• Received 10,000 new police uniforms for distribution to Baghdad police.

· Escorted 21 diesel fuel trucks (124,000 gallons or 465,000 liters) for deliveries throughout the zone, facilitated the delivery of 35,000 bottles of propane, and provided security for 18 Liquid Propane Gas (LPG) deliveries to distribution sites.

· Completed consolidation of 11 of the 24 ammunition storage sites, and hauled 33 truckloads of ammunition (152 tons) from Baghdad (4,816 tons to date).

· Coordinated with the International Committee for the Red Cross to overcome a shortage of medical supplies to private hospitals and clinics.

· Delivered school supplies that had been bought with captured funds, and replaced windows at schools in the division's sector.

· Paid workers of schools, nursery and power plants. They also continued local payments to municipal workers in the Baghdad area.

· Worked with Iraqi engineers for various downtown renovation projects.

MOSUL / TIKRIT

101st Airborne (Air Assault) Division recently:

· Has cleared 345 of 509 ammunition caches sites in their area of operations.

· Received 51 benzene and 9 propane trucks from Turkey and distributed their contents to government and private locations throughout the Mosul area. Benzene will be also distributed to locations in Makhmur and Qayyarah over the next few days.

· Distributed cash payments to approximately 500 civil workers in the Al Hadr area.

· Received 8,000 metric tons of wheat flour at a food warehouse in Tikrit.

· Reports positive progress of the grain harvest in Northern Iraq.

· Observed and facilitated an 18-truckload shipment of humanitarian stocks from Syria.

· Facilitated the arrival of a humanitarian assistance flight from the UAE arrived at Mosul Airfield this afternoon. Strike continued the Indigenous Displaced Persons (IDP) registration under the supervision of World Vision.

4th Infantry Division recently:

· Continued to provide engineer support to the Baghdad urban renewal mission.

· Began repair on a natural gas line from Bayji to Kirkuk

· Has destroyed 810 of 1,303 ammunition caches to date.

• Opened discussions with the Indian Ambassador to Jordan to establish an Iraqi "adopt a hospital" program, and install an Indian 50-70-bed hospital.
• Facilitated the delivery of 43 trucks of benzene from Kuwait and 42 trucks from Turkey (691,000 gallons or about 2.6 million liters) to northern Iraq.
• Began planning for the installation of satellite-based, Kuwaiti-owned internet service at the Humanitarian Operations Center to assist the non-governmental agencies in relief coordination efforts.
• Facilitated the arrival of a Royal Jordanian Airline delivery of nine tons of food and medical supplies at Baghdad International Airport.

SOUTHERN IRAQ

The First Marine Expeditionary Force reports:

• The U.S, and its U.K., Czech, Spanish, Korean and Lithuanian coalition partners total nearly 70,000 troops and are responsible for nine governances in southern Iraq. The force oversees the major cities of Al Basrah, An Nasiriyah, Al Kut, An Najaf, Karbala, Al Hillah, Ad Diwaniyah, Al Amarah, and As Samawa and a population of more than seven million people.
• Forty-five humanitarian relief missions are ongoing in the MEF area of operations. Many initiatives are conducted by the Marine force and complement larger humanitarian projects introduced by relief agencies such as United Nations High Commission on Refugees, and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
• A second wave of Non-Governmental Organizations and relief agencies are appearing at the Humanitarian Operations Center in Kuwait, with hundreds of new organizations expected.

Other Developments in the I Marine Expeditionary Force's area of operations recently:

AL HILLAH

Marines downloaded 20 fuel trucks in six cities of the province.

The construction of the Al Karama primary school is 90 percent complete. The Mussaib power plant is operating at 50 percent of capacity.

4th Marine Regiment repairs to the Al Karama primary school are 90 percent complete.

The main power plant for the city, the Mussaib Power Plant, is currently at 50 percent capacity, and within 48 hours is expected to increase to 75 percent capacity.

AL KUT

Repairs by Coalition forces to the airport's south runway are 95 percent complete.

Repair work at the Jassan School is 88 percent complete. The current plan is to turn the schoolhouse over to the local Sheik as soon as possible.

AN NAJAF

U.S. Navy Seabee repairs to the Al Hadi School are 99% complete, and only contractor work remains. Marines also observed the election of an interim school superintendent. Civil affairs personnel wrote a contract to grant $500 to each of the 180 schools in An Najaf for improvements.

The electric power plant continued to receive diesel fuel from the Al Hillah fuel distribution center using privately contracted trucks from civil affairs.

AN NASIRIYAH

The An Nasiriyah police received 150,000 Dinars from civil affairs personnel to purchase food for prisoners in the jail.

A World Food Program humanitarian shipment (126 truckloads) is currently being delivered to As Samawah and An Nasariyah from Kuwait.

Marines and sailors continued construction at the south police station, a medical warehouse, the Al Goumhora school, and the male orphanage. They also signed an $85,000 contract with an Iraqi construction firm for a portion of the work on the courthouse.

AS SAMAWAH

U.S. Navy engineers began the assessment of the water situation in the city and will work to enhance the availability of potable water.

Marines worked with the Ministry of Health to acquire diesel fuel for area hospitals from the cement factory, which has a reservoir of about 5 million liters.

Marines and Sailors continue repair efforts on the Al Majead School and the police station.

AL BASRAH

A 31-truck truck convoy of diesel fuel was delivered to the An Najaf power plant. The 1st Marine Division also distributed 64 trucks of Benzene fuel throughout the area Thursday, and another 24 trucks were distributed on May 23.

Marines are planning two large-scale garbage cleanup projects.

KARBALA

Marines of the 7th Regiment facilitated arrival of World Food Program humanitarian shipments (141 truckloads) from Jordan to Baghdad and Karbala.

7th Marine Regiment has hired an Iraqi engineer to be a liaison and interpreter to assist in restoration of a school. They constructed numerous new desks, and are also tracing the electrical system to plan repairs, and completing installation of primary fresh water service to the building.

AL FAW

Marines and UK Forces are facilitating efforts to resume of oil exporting activity on June 1, and are also working on returning power to the Al Faw metering station.