(Military units also assist in food aid program in Iraq) (530)

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced July 1 that coalition
forces "continued aggressive patrols throughout Iraq over the last 24
hours conducting 1,123 day patrols and 821 night patrols."

Coalition forces also jointly patrolled with the Iraqi Police --
conducting 178 day patrols and 118 night patrols, and Iraqi Police, on
their own, conducted two day and two night patrols, CENTCOM said in a
news release.

"The total patrols resulted in 248 arrests for various criminal
activities including one for murder, five for burglary and 11 for
looting," the news release said.

In another July 1 announcement, CENTCOM said the 3rd Armored Cavalry
Regiment, in partnership with the World Food Program, provided 23,000
meals to six Baghdad-area hospitals for the sick, wounded, women and
children.

Following are the texts of the two CENTCOM news releases:

(begin text)

NEWS RELEASE

HEADQUARTERS U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND
MacDill AFB, Florida

July 1, 2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OPERATION SIDEWINDER AND COALITION SECURITY ACTIVITY CONTINUES 

Baghdad -- The 4th Infantry Division conducted 25 raids in support of
Operation Sidewinder resulting in 25 detained individuals including 11
that were on the targeted list. Confiscated weapons include six
AK-47s, two machine guns, five rocket-propelled grenade launchers; one
crate of rocket-propelled grenades, three rocket-propelled grenade
sights and other assorted ammunition and military equipment.

Coalition security significant actions include:

The 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in An Najaf arrested the mayor Abu
Haydar Abdul Mun'im police chief and 60 other individuals. The formal
charges being brought against Mun'im include public corruption,
unlawful detention of persons, and battery. Each of these charges
carries severe criminal penalties under Iraqi law.

In Baghdad, the 1st Armored Division secured 260 sites and detained
128 individuals.

Coalition forces continued aggressive patrols throughout the country
over the last 24 hours, conducting 1,123 day patrols and 821 night
patrols. They also jointly patrolled with the Iraqi Police, conducting
178 day patrols and 118 night patrols. On their own, Iraqi Police
conducted two day and two night patrols. The total patrols resulted in
248 arrests for various criminal activities including one for murder,
five for burglary and 11 for looting.

(end text)

(begin text)

NEWS RELEASE

HEADQUARTERS U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND
MacDill AFB, Florida
July 1, 2003

COALITION FORCES ASSISTS IN HUMANITARIAN FOOD PROGRAM

Baghdad -- The 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment working in partnership
with the World Food Program provided food to area hospitals feeding
the sick, wounded, women and children. Units of the 3rd ACR delivered
a total of 23,000 meals to six area hospitals.

In other humanitarian operations:

In Makhmur, 101st Airborne continued to conduct two police academy
training classes with 135 candidates in Hammani Al Alil and Al Hadr in
an effort to produce well-trained, professional police officers.

In Baghdad, the 354th Civil Affairs Brigade delivered medical supplies
to the new Baghdad Public Health Clinic No. 1 in the Karadah
municipality. The supplies meet the immediate needs of the clinic to
conduct operations.

In Fallujah, the 3rd Infantry Division's engineers worked on
improvements to Al Fallujah Hospital's electrical and water
chlorination systems.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)