Release # 03-05-112

CAMP DOHA, Kuwait - Coalition Forces continue to assist in developing a safer and more secure environment in Iraq through the following activities.

BAGHDAD

Coalition Forces:

• With the Office of Coalition Provisional Authority (OCPA) and key Iraqi Police Force provisional leaders, assessed and selected 23more formerIPF police stations to be reestablished.

• Have issued more than 2,300 police uniforms.

• Report that more than 8,785 Iraqi police have reported back to work, and three Patrol Divisions and 18Police Stations now operate 24-hours a day in Baghdad.

· Have consolidated 62 truckloads of Iraqi ammunition, and delivered 448 metric tons of propane in the city.

· Recently received 30 tons of mixed humanitarian assistance and medical supplies at Baghdad International Airport from Jordan.

NORTHERN IRAQ

IRBIL / MOSUL / TIKRIT

Coalition Forces:

• The Judicial Assessment Team conducted a second day of interviews with local judges in Irbil. The team has interviewed 15 judges so far.

• Met with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and Kurdistan Democratic Party Prime Ministers in Irbil to lay the groundwork for future humanitarian assistance, infrastructure improvements and other civil-military operations in the Kurdish governates.

• Continued Task Force Neighborhood and Task Force Grafitti operations to in Makhmur and Mosul with the help of local labor.

• Hosted the first graduation ceremony from the U.S. Military Police-run Police Academy in Rabiyah, which trained 47 Iraqi police officers over the course of two weeks.

• Received 139 benzene and 32 propane trucks from Turkey, and distributed 55,000 liters of benzene and 7,735 propane canisters in the northern Iraq.

• Assessed ten schools in Makhmur for restoration, and is planning a Task Force Neighborhood project with the Mayor of Makhmur.

• Continued work to build on the election discussions yesterday with the mayor and vice-mayor of Mosul, and expect to assist in the selection of district managers and mayors soon.

• Consolidated 373 of 569 sites of captured weapons, equipment, and ammunition to date.

• Continued to conduct medical supply assessments of the Al Hamdany area, and will begin delivery of medical supplies next week.

• Identified food supply requirements for the World Food Program to feed 184,000 people in Tel A'far, 120,000 in Al Zumar, and 150,000 in Avgani. Coalition forces continue to store and distribute food throughout the northern provinces.

• Announced that a contract was awarded to provide the initial six-month Internet service via satellite to Mosul.

• AreACoordinated through the Minister of Irrigation to bring hydrology specialists to work on irrigation problems in the Tigris-Euphrates valley. By way of comparison, the problems there closely U.S. experiences with the Platte River in Colorado and Nebraska.

• Received a

510-truck World Food Program convoy from Jordan with 11,170 metric tons of food consignments for Dohuk, Mosul, Irbil and Sulaymaniwah; Another convoy of 152 WFP trucks is delivering food to Baghdad, Babil and Qasissiyah.

BAQUBAH

· Coalition forces discovered and secured a large cache of weapons and ammunition in two schools that included more than 1,000 rocket-propelled grenade rounds and other small arms. They secured the site and called on explosive ordnance disposal experts to remove them.

SOUTHERN IRAQ

AN NASARIYAH

25th Marine Regiment:

• Assisted in returning two of four turbines in the electrical power plant to service, which improved electrical power, and subsequently brought the sewage system back online.

The United Kingdom 7th Armored Brigade:

• Is screening 2,700 former Iraqi military members for suitability as potential security forces in the region.

AL KUT

23d Marine Regiment recently:

• Received 10 truckloads of fuel for the Wasit province that helped reduce congestion at the government pumping stations.

AN NAJAF

7th Marine Regiment recently:

• Provided $5,000 and medical supplies to the local hospital, and received two truckloads each of propane and kerosene as part of the agreement with the petroleum ministry.

• Invited city schools to the reopening of the amusement park that Marines and sailors renovated.

• Began several new school renovation projects in the city.

AD DIWANIYAH

5th Marine Regiment recently:

• Conducted the registration and initial screening for the new police force, which will be followed by a 4-day "train the trainer" police academy focused on developing a professional police force.

AS SAMAWAH

5th Marine Regiment recently:

• Assisted U.S. Army Military Policemen in completion of the formal training phase of the Rumaythah police force and security guards, and began the practical phase of training.

• Vetted the list of candidates for as Samawah police management positions in preparation for interviews this week. The candidates are college educated, accepted broadly by the community, and many have untainted military experience.

KARBALA

7th Marine Regiment recently:

• Accepted bids for a contract to pave the road to the landfill, which will facilitate access to the facility.

• Conducted a well-received public safety day attended by 300 children and 20 teachers, which covered topics including the importance of education, avoidance of unexploded munitions, and trusting the police and firemen.

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