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Security Berm Under Construction in As Siniyah

TIKRIT, Iraq - In a combined effort to reduce insurgent violence in As Siniyah, community leaders, Iraqi security forces and coalition Soldiers began construction on a berm around the village Jan. 5.

Following the recent spike in insurgent roadside and vehicle-borne bombs, leaders of this small village near Bayji in northern Salah Ad Din Province discussed what measures could be taken to improve the security situation.

Local police, city council members, sheiks and religious leaders met with leaders from the 1st Squadron, 33rd Cavalary Regiment 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) to discuss the operation.

As Siniyah's community leaders have long insisted those responsible for the violence were outsiders, not residents of the village. An overwhelming majority of those at today's meeting agreed that a berm would prevent these outsiders from using the village as a safe haven.

Once completed, the berm will be approximately 10 kilometers in length and nearly eight feet in height. Iraqi police and soldiers will man the access points into the village as well as guard towers being built in conjunction with the berm.

Iraqi citizens suffer the most from insurgent violence. Almost 80 percent of those killed and wounded by IEDs are Iraqis, not Coaltion Soldiers.

Provincial leaders expressed their approval of the berming operation. After a similar operation to deny insurgents access to the city of Samarra in August 2005, the level of violence sharply dropped off.

Work on the berm is expected to continue for several days.

Source: Multi-National Force-Iraq