| A visible sign that the Tall Afar district has stabilized is that vendors are operating and residents are conducting business. |
| By Polli Keller Gulf Region North U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
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MOSUL, Iraq, Nov. 10, 2005 — Despite 25 years of neglect and a costly insurgency, the infrastructure of Tall Afar, Iraq, is rebounding. Now that the city is secure, its residents will benefit as the economy is growing and Iraqi leadership is ready to rebuild the municipal infrastructure. The rebuilding process is having a positive impact on the lives of its residents, supporting the emergence of democracy, and establishing the foundation for a strong economy.
The Tall Afar City Council and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are working together to rebuild Tall Afar. The process will include repairing water systems, and removing debris and rubble, as well as improving the electrical infrastructure of the city. Repairs also will be made to local health facilities, educational facilities, communication systems and sewage methods. "The police are now working well and security in the city is stable. Police stations are open and four more are in the works for neighborhoods known to have been unstable, such as Al Wahda and Sa'ad, to keep the insurgents from coming back," said the Tall Afar police chief. "Police have checkpoints and patrols throughout the city." As such, the Iraqi government's role has shifted from security operations to one of humanitarian efforts by offering food, water and medical care for the people of the city. The leadership also formed a committee that will provide compensation to families that suffered casualties. |
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A visible sign that the Tall Afar district has stabilized is that vendors are operating and residents are conducting business. Fruits and vegetable carts line the streets. Storefront doorways are open and residents - arms laden with new purchases – go from store to store, as they support the local economy. The local management is working on plans for reconstruction and has many projects scheduled to rehabilitate the water and power plants inside the city. The mayor of Tall Afar, Muhammed Najim, held a press conference on Oct. 26, to provide an update on the city's progress. "The situation in Tall Afar is good. Schools have opened their gates to receive students and the government facilities continue to work regularly. "The water system inside the city is old and has not kept up with the city expansion and population increase in Tall Afar," said Najim. "This city is one of the largest districts in the country with 300,000 people living in it." According to Najim, the old water system, constructed in the 1960's, will be updated in three stages. The first stage is now complete. In the interim, the city is providing people with water via water tanks and Multinational Forces are drilling 11 wells inside the city to help meet the demand. Editor's note: Polli Keller is the Deputy Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Gulf Region North. |
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