Dear Interested Reader,
Two schools open in time for the children to begin the school year in She Shon. It's nice to see stories of Iraqis taking the lead, as in supporting the Sadr City Medical Clinic, and building a medical facility in Araifiya. There's a most interesting story on the Interior Ministry holding its first conference on forensics. An AQI bombing facilitator was killed, and weapons and munitions seized throughout Baghdad. Pictures of Iraqi female police trainees are always captivating and inspiring.
Joanna
_______________________________
Aug. 29, 2008
Multi-National Corps - Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342
Schools Open for Children in She Shon
By Pfc. Michael Schuch
Capt. Sean Nolan and a soon-to-be student of the newly-refurbished primary school in Jisr Diyala, await cookies and cake during the school's ribbon-cutting ceremony, Aug. 21, 2008.
Photo by Pfc. Michael Schuch
COP CASCHE SOUTH — A kindergarten and primary school opened in the She Shon area. Soldiers from the 415th CAB helped local contractors renovate 2 schools in She Shon to ensure the children of the area have the opportunity to receive a formal education.
"We are very thankful this project is now complete," said Fatema Rhady, the headmistress of the kindergarten. The school repairs took 6 weeks to complete. A local Iraqi contractor hired skilled citizens from surrounding towns to perform the work. This helped create jobs and increase the flow of money for the small urban village. The school received new doors, windows, paint and remodeled bathrooms. The school boasts the only playground in the area, in addition to the numerous classrooms.
Following the Kindergarten’s opening, Soldiers from 415th CAB made the local primary school their next stop. The Maka al Mukarama Primary School, run by headmaster Mahamed Hussein, received fresh paint, new doors and windows, remodeled bathrooms and minor structural repairs. This 2-story school boasts nearly 2 dozen classrooms and offices, a large courtyard and a court with soccer nets and basketball hoops.
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Iraqi Army Takes Lead to Support Sadr City Medical Clinic
Patients at the 2nd Health Clinic in Baghdad’s Sadr City district walk past IA Soldiers, Aug. 20, 2008, providing security during a combined medical engagement conducted with MND - Baghdad Soldiers.
U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Philip Klein.
BAGHDAD — The IA took the lead to provide supplies as well as additional medical attention to the surrounding community, putting an Iraqi face on the op. "We are just glad to be able to help and let the IA take the lead with the combined medical engagement," said Army Capt. Andrew Slack. "Hopefully, every clinic in Thawra 1 will get repeated visits from the IA as they are operating with more independence every day."
The clinic administrator and staff welcomed the visit and were glad for the additional medical support and supplies. "We are grateful for the efforts of the IA and friendly forces. The supplies they have brought will be put to good use of the people of our neighborhood," said Dr. Thaer, the 2nd Health Clinic senior administrator.
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Interior Ministry holds first conference on forensics
Baghdad – With growing use of forensics in Iraq, scientists in Iraq are helping police make discoveries that solve crimes. The accomplishments and plans in this area were discussed August 27 at the First Conference on Forensic Sciences held by the Ministry of Interior.
“This is a noble cause,” said Iraqi Interior Minister Bulani, “to make sure we have justice. We are trying to build a country built on the constitution and all of these efforts by our expert investigators will help the police to establish the truth and uphold the Rule of Law.”
Bulani said the IP must take advantage of our experts in the Criminal Evidence Directorate and learn important steps from them that will help solve crimes. He said eventually all joint ops with the IA would end in the Provinces and the IP “would be the only one in charge of all internal security in the country.” He said, thus training, professional development and new technology is important to the IP force.
British Brigadier Mark Castle, dir. of the Ministry of Interior Transition Team, said “This conference highlights the important gains the Ministry of Interior has made in forensics in the past few years. We foresee even more progress in the future and look forward to partnering with the Iraqis to foster this advancement.”
At the conference, led by Dep. Minister Ayden, director of Police Affairs, the focus was on crime scene ID, management of the crime scene, and the Automated Fingerprint ID System as well as an overview of the Criminal Evidence Directorate.
The AFIS system has helped solve crimes some more than two years old by identifying a fingerprint. A positive ID or match was made within 24 hours after the fingerprints were entered into the system. They matched the fingerprints found at a bomb scene in 2005 and the suspect was arrested.
The AFIS system started with zero data base in 2003 and now has a data base with more than 1 million fingerprints. The AFIS system is also used in processing ID cards. Eventually all GOI employees will have their fingerprints in the system.
The U.S. and British have set up a National Forensics Training Institute in Baghdad and another training facility in Arbil for training Iraqi scientists in forensics. These scientists will then train others throughout Iraq. There are plans to have a total of 7 forensics centers or labs located throughout the country.
The course of instruction will include document comparison, ballistic analysis, fingerprinting and finding latent finger prints, and chemistry, toxicology and biology analysis that includes DNA.
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(This was the story that was lost, but MNF very nicely retrieved it for me, and for you to enjoy.)
Medical Clinic Nears Completion in Araifiya
By Pfc. Michael Schuch
COP CASHE SOUTH — Khalaf Assad, a local Iraqi contractor, spent more than one month building a new primary care medical clinic in the small area of Araifiya. The work began on little more than a piece of property, but Assad's vision drove him to continue. This clinic, with its prime location within the local village, will provide an immense boost to the health care system of the area. The surrounding area has several medical clinics, but only one is fully operational.
Assad employed local citizens with specialized skills to assist him with the project. "I wanted to create jobs for my people," Assad said. "I wanted to make sure there was money flowing into my village, to help our economy."
The new medical center boasts solid marble floors, new electrical wiring, a full-scale fire alarm system with siren, a/c, 2 fully-operational bathrooms, 4 offices, treatment rooms and a large lobby. The outside of the facility displays tall, brightly-painted cement pillars, a concrete gate surrounding the structure, and a beautiful view of the flourishing fields and village in the distance.
"Working on this project is a dream-come-true for us," Assad said. "This clinic will help improve the health and lives of over 2,000 people in the area."
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MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE-IRAQ
PRESS DESK
BAGHDAD, Iraq
Al-Qaeda bombing facilitator killed (Baghdad)
BAGHDAD – CF killed a terrorist in Tikrit during a daytime op August 28, targeting associates of al-Qaeda leaders in central Iraq.
CF targeted a facilitator involved with providing bomb triggers for several attack cells in the Tigris River Valley bombing network. As they attempted to apprehend the wanted terrorist, the man rushed toward the security element and grabbed one soldier’s rifle. Responding to the hostile threat, CF engaged and killed the man.
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ISF seize weapons caches throughout Baghdad
BAGHDAD - Aug. 28, IA Soldiers and NP seized numerous weapons during 2 search ops. The munitions included 100 AK 47's, 4 Seminov rifles, an SKS rifle and 4 pistols, 3 RPG warheads, 5 107 mm rockets and 2 122 mm mortar rounds.
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Training Days
Iraqi female trainees practice handcuffing procedures at the Kirkuk Iraqi Police Academy, Aug. 26, 2008.
Photo by Staff Sgt. Ave Pele-Sizelove
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Climbing High
Pvt. John Hill, A Co., 44th Expeditionary Signal Bn, climbs the training tower on Camp Victory for a familiarization climb, Aug. 23, 2008, while his supervisor Sgt. Joseph Raymond Chavis, C Co., waits above.
Photo by Spc. Evan Marcy
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