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Senior Coalition Commander in Diyala Province says Baqubah still functioning |
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Wednesday, 29 November 2006 |
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Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20061130-10
Nov. 30, 2006
Senior Coalition Commander in Diyala Province says Baqubah still functioning Multi-National Division – North PAO
BAQUBAH, Iraq – The city of Baqubah is fully operational and not shut down, as reported by some media outlets, according to Col. David W. Sutherland, commander of 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division and senior coalition Force commander for the Diyala province.
“The Government Center is open, and most of the ministries are present for work as are the city workers, the health care providers, and ambulances,” said Sutherland. “The Mosques are open, and the market in Baqubah has seen a rise in business as fresh fruits and vegetables are arriving and being sold daily. We also see construction projects progressing in the area, people going to the markets and walking the streets daily.”
“Iraqi Police are currently manning seven critical check points, and the Iraqi Army is manning four others,” continued Sutherland. “An additional check point is jointly manned by both forces.”
Sutherland acknowledged a recent setback experienced by the Iraqi Police, during an attack on the Buhriz police station by anti-Iraqi forces on Monday. The station was attacked and policemen fled the scene. However, he said this station will be rebuilt, fully manned and operational soon.
“That’s not indicative of the situation in all the other stations in the city,” Sutherland said. “The IPs are going through challenges with their leadership, logistics, and training. However, day in and day out, they show up to work. Even with the friction created by leadership challenges, the majority of the Iraqi Police remain at their post, ready to continue their work. I am very impressed with the loyalty and dedication of the individual policemen.”
“The erroneous reports are clearly an effort by some individuals to paint a picture of disarray and hysteria to destabilize the province,” added Sutherland.
According to coalition forces reports, there are currently approximately 985 IPs working in Baqubah enforcing the rule of law, and approximately 9,550 are assigned throughout the province. Additionally, an Emergency Response Force is manned and ready to respond to any crisis.
“I’m not going to paint a pretty picture—insurgent and terrorist organizations are attempting to destabilize the security forces, the government and the population through violence and misinformation,” said Sutherland. “However, the government and the security forces are in control.”
“Our Soldiers are conducting joint patrols with Iraqi Soldiers in the city of Baqubah 24 hours per day,” said Sutherland. “We are fully committed to support the government in establishing a safe environment -- one that allows economic growth, infrastructure development, and most importantly, security for the people of Diyala.”
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