Photo By Staff Sgt. Joshua Ford | An Iraqi man washes his car while a Paratrooper from Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion,...... read more read more
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SAMARRA, Iraq—Samarra's hospital rooms were half-filled. The power faded in and out throughout the day but the water was running again.
May 6, 2007, insurgents targeted Iraqi security forces and coalition forces with a suicide car bomb. The blast killed nine Iraqi police and destroyed the police's headquarters building along with Samarra's main water pipeline, causing the majority of the city to lose running water.
Immediately after the attack paratroopers with Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, and Iraqi police went to work, securing the attacked site and doing what they could to repair the pipeline.
"We were working on (the pipeline) that afternoon to restore the services right after the suicide vehicle-borne improvised-explosive device went off. But (water) pressure of course had to be put back up, so it took a couple days," said 1st Lt. James Lowry, 3rd platoon leader for Charlie Company.
After the attack a 24-hour curfew was set, not letting anyone in or out of the city, in order to find the people responsible for the devastation.
Charlie Company's paratroopers patrolled the streets during the 24-hour curfew to let Samarra's citizens know why the curfew was set in place.
"There may be people who blame the government or coalition regardless of who had done it. Most people understand who did the attack. Most people understand who perpetrates car bombs and suicide bombers... it's not coalition forces and it's not the Iraqi security forces. But they just wanted their services back. They wanted their water," said Lowry.
Now the 24-hour curfew has been lifted and the paratroopers are still engaging Samarra's citizens to see what they can do to help.
During a recent patrol the Paratroopers approached an Iraqi man washing his jeep. The man was happy to see his water services were working but complained about the power outages in the city.
"The water is fixed but the power still goes in and out," said Jasim Mohamed, who is a shopkeeper in Samarra. "Power outages are normal though."
Samarra's hospital still suffers from power outages but the problem falls out of coalition hands, said Lowry. It is up to the Iraqi government to fix the power issue in Samarra.
The attack was a blow to Iraqi security forces in Samarra. Some Iraqi police quit afterward but the police force still has the manpower to conduct independent operations throughout the city, said Lowry.
"It's definitely a morale blow," said Lowry. "I don't think they're done in Samarra. It will take a little time to re-grow. But one attack isn't going to destroy ISF [international security forces]."
| Date Taken: | 06.15.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 06.15.2007 10:53 |
| Story ID: | 10828 |
| Location: | SAMARRA, IQ |
| Web Views: | 129 |
| Downloads: | 97 |
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