Multi-National Division - North continues to rebuild northern Iraq

Multi-National Force - Iraq ^ | SGT Serena Hayden

[SandRat]

Two women from Diyala province cut wire to assist in the assembly of transformers at a Diyala Electrical Industries factory which is located in Baqouba, Iraq, Oct. 22. Diyala Electric Industries, which has been operating at a limited capacity since 2003, now employs approximately 800 citizens from Baqouba and its surrounding villages. Photo by Sgt. Serena Hayden, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs.

BAGHDAD — North continues working with the Government of Iraq to rebuild the infrastructure and improve the quality of life for the people of Northern Iraq.

Since assuming responsibility of northern Iraq in September 2006, Task Force Lightning reconstruction has reported beginning 1,433 projects valued at $101.4 million and completed 1,119 projects valued at $37.4 million. The projects include supporting over 100 humanitarian assistance projects costing $4.1 million and reconstruction of major crimes courts.

In Diyala, completed projects included a water filtration system in Buhriz and a library in Muqdadiyah.

For the Nineveh province, the division renovated a business center, purchased water trucks in Ba'aj, and completed several other projects. In the works, Task Force Lightning is improving the consistency of fuel distribution throughout the province by assisting with the Ministry of Oils allocations.

For Mosul, MND-N is helping plan Mosul Dam contingencies, and continues to support reconstruction of the Mosul Major Crimes Court.

Salah ah Din projects include major crimes court construction, as well as rebuilding the provincial television station.

In addition to helping rebuild Northern Iraq, the projects also provided 197 grants to small businesses throughout the area.

Diyala Electric Industries, a Ministry of Industry and Minerals state-owned enterprise and the only manufacturer of high power line electrical transformers in Iraq, is increasingly operational with hundreds of employees after operating at limited capacity due to the security situation since 2003.

"DEI is arguably the most strategically important factory in all of Iraq," and anticipates reaching peak or near-peak production levels within the next 24 months, according to the U.S. Department of Defense's Task Force - Business Stability Operations who visited the factory in August.

The factory is located on the western side of Baqouba, Iraq, and has the ability to manufacture electrical power transformers, distribution transformers, electric meters, clothing irons, ceiling fans, spark plugs and additional electronic items, and primarily services the Ministries of Electricity and Oil.

The company, which reported running only seven commuter buses for employees in Baqouba, Aug. 29, now has 25 commuter buses operating in Baqouba and its surrounding villages, employing approximately 800 citizens.

Projects are underway to allow DEI to reach its maximum potential.

(Written by SGT Serena Hayden, Public Affairs NCOIC, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division)

In Other Recent Developments around Iraq:

Iraqi National Police with the 1st Battalion, 4th Brigade, 1st National Division discovered a large weapons cache in the southeast district of New Baghdad in the Iraqi capital Oct. 24.

Coalition forces killed three terrorists and detained 11 suspects Wednesday and Thursday during operations to disrupt terrorist networks in central Iraq.

Press Releases

• Nine militants, anti-aircraft gun captured (Kalsu)
• MND-B unit targeted by EFP during combat operations (Baghdad)
• Dragon Talon II: Troops detain seven terrorist suspects (Baghdad)
• Coalition forces disrupt foreign terrorist networks; one killed, nine detained
• Six terrorists killed, 22 detained during Coalition force operations
• Media Advisory: MND-N Transfer of Authority (Tikrit)
• Citizen’s tip leads to Iraqi National Police discovery of 52 rockets (Baghdad)
• Coalition forces degrade al-Qaeda in Iraq network; 3 terrorists killed, 11 detained
• Iraqi Special Operations Forces, U.S. Special Forces detain two terrorist leaders

[SandRat]

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