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Wasit now under Provincial Iraqi Control

Multi-National Force-Iraq

Friday, 31 October 2008
Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20081031-01
Oct. 31, 2008

Wasit now under Provincial Iraqi Control
Multi-National Division – Center PAO

FORWARD OPERATING BASE DELTA, Iraq – Wasit province became the 13th of 18 Iraqi provinces to be handed over to Provincial Iraqi Control in a ceremony in al-Kut Oct. 29.

“We came to the position that we are fully prepared to take responsibility of the security in the province and that made the dream of Wasit come true,” said Dr. Mowaaffak al-Rubaie, Iraq National Security Advisor.

Wasit Governor Abd al-Latif Hamad Tarfah and Lt. Gen. Lloyd Austin, commanding general of Multi-National Corps – Iraq, signed the Wasit Memorandum of Understanding, transferring the security of Wasit province over to the provincial government and Iraqi Security Forces.

“Today is a celebrated day in Wasit that we’ve been waiting for, for a long time,” Tarfah said. “It didn’t come easy and was a result of lots of hard work and sacrifice from the Police and the Army.”

The Iraqi Government and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki decided Wasit was ready for PIC based on its local government’s readiness and its ability to assume the security lead. Coalition forces will remain in the area to support the local government and will transition to an over watch posture further away from populated cities and centers, as warranted by safer conditions.

“Over the last few years, enemies have attempted to move their weapons and explosives through this province to attack Iraqi Security Forces and Coalition forces in other parts of the country,” Austin said. “But in the last year, Iraq’s enemies have had a much harder time infiltrating the country because of the security improvements in Wasit.”

The improvements in security came through the partnership with coalition forces. The 214th Fires Brigade and then the 41st Fires Brigade partnered with the Iraqi Police, 32nd Iraqi Army Brigade and 3rd Region Border Brigade providing training and equipment to professionalize the Iraqi forces.

Seven months ago, Jayish al- Mahdi forces held an uprising in the city and Wasit was experiencing 16 to 18 attacks each week. Now the province frequently has weeks with zero attacks, said Austin.

“This is a tremendous success and this success is due largely to a high level of cooperation between all of these units and has resulted in the increased level of security Wasit enjoys today,” said Austin.

“In addition to the security forces, the people of Wasit have made it clear to its enemies that they will not allow them to bring dangerous weapons into the country,” he added.

The ceremony also included a parade with formations representing all the security forces in Wasit including IP, Kut Special Weapons and Tactics, IA and firemen.

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