Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Towers and ditches to protect Karbala
Security
(Azzaman) - To protect the city of Karbala, the authorities are erecting guard towers and digging a ditch deep in the desert west of the religious city. The authorities believe most of the recent attacks targeting Karbala, where two of the most holy Shiite saints are buried, have been carried out by infiltrators who sneak into the city from the desert.
Aqeel al-Qhazaali, Karbala’s governor, said two police battalions will be stationed at the ditch to protect the city from violent attacks. The towers will be built several kilometers away from the ditch and close to the desert separating Karbala from the rebellious Province of Anbar. “These guard towers will extend across the whole of the desert area bordering the Province of Anbar,” said Rahman Mashawi, Karbala’s police force spokesman. He said the towers, once in place, will make it easier “to detect infiltrators and capture them.”
Mashawi did not say how many towers the province will eventually build but added all of them will be manned by police forces 24 hours a day. He said there will be foot patrols across the desert as well as an efficient communication system linking the various security personnel in the area. The security measures, he said, will be further intensified during Shiite religious occasions in which hundreds of thousands of pilgrims flock to the city.
Aqeel al-Qhazaali, Karbala’s governor, said two police battalions will be stationed at the ditch to protect the city from violent attacks. The towers will be built several kilometers away from the ditch and close to the desert separating Karbala from the rebellious Province of Anbar. “These guard towers will extend across the whole of the desert area bordering the Province of Anbar,” said Rahman Mashawi, Karbala’s police force spokesman. He said the towers, once in place, will make it easier “to detect infiltrators and capture them.”
Mashawi did not say how many towers the province will eventually build but added all of them will be manned by police forces 24 hours a day. He said there will be foot patrols across the desert as well as an efficient communication system linking the various security personnel in the area. The security measures, he said, will be further intensified during Shiite religious occasions in which hundreds of thousands of pilgrims flock to the city.
Labels: Aqeel al-Qhazaali, Karbala, Rahman Mashawi, security
