Aid given to Al Asriya, Mosul, Fallujah, Ar Ramadi and Ubaydi

Coalition military forces continue to help Iraqi municipal services recover from long neglect by the previous regime, according to a statement released July 25 by the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).

Coalition forces recently have: removed large amounts of piled-up waste and trash from Al Asriya (near Baghdad); contracted with the municipal authorities in Mosul to clean up the Rashadia Quarter; worked with Iraqi trash removers to remove 50 truckloads of trash in Fallujah; provided money in Al Qaim to repair trash pickup and removal trucks; and given money to Ubaydi to repair a sanitation truck and sewer lines.

The text of the CENTCOM statement follows:

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HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND
MacDill Air Force Base, Florida

July 26, 2003

COALITION HELPS WITH CLEANUP AND SANITATION

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Coalition forces assisted Iraqis by helping with waste management issues in the towns of Al Asriya, Mosul, Fallujah and Ar Ramadi.

In Al Asriya, a rural town about 15 kilometers northwest of Baghdad, Coalition forces used bulldozers and dump trucks to remove waste piled throughout the village. The large amount of trash in this town posed a serious health risk to the families living there. Combat engineers worked for three days to move dirt and debris to a burn pit and into an impromptu landfill.

In addition, Coalition forces provided the people of Al Asriya with two large "city limits" signs to post along Highway 1. The town has recently changed its name from Al Faris, which means "of the family of Saddam," back to its pre-Saddam name of Al Asriya, which means "Model Town." Coalition forces are also in the process of refurbishing three schools and modernizing utilities in Al Asriya.

In Mosul, Coalition forces involved with Operation Clean Sweep have contracted with the local municipal offices to clean up the Rashadia Quarter. The effort has provided employment for more than 50 Iraqis who are operating tractors, large trucks and front-end loaders.

In Fallujah, Coalition forces worked with Iraqi trash removal services to remove approximately 50 truckloads of trash. To date, Coalition forces have removed approximately 2,470 truckloads of trash from Fallujah.

In Al Qaim, which is in the Ar Ramadi area, Coalition forces provided money from the Commander's Emergency Relief Program [CERP] to help the town with waste management issues. Coalition forces provided $3,100 for vehicle parts to repair trucks used to pick up trash. In the nearby town of Ubaydi, Coalition forces provided another $4,400 of CERP money to fix a sewer high-pressure cleaning vehicle and repair sewer lines.

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