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The
1,500 strong team guarding Iraq's oil northern
pipeline say lack of manpower, equipment and
training puts their lives in danger.
The protection force charged with ensuring Iraqi oil
keeps flowing says lack of training and personnel is
costing lives among its members.
The government formed the 1,500 strong team earlier
this year to patrol the 480-kilometre pipeline from
Kirkuk to Turkey's Ceyhan oil terminal which has
been largely shut down by frequent terrorist
attacks.
But force members say they need more briefings in
military and security tactics as well as improved
physical training if they are to tackle the
insurgents from whom they face constant threats.
They also complain shifts are too long for such
dangerous and tiring work.
Last month, a bomb killed 12 pipeline guards,
including the head of the protection team. On May
13, another bomb exploded at the main gathering and
pumping station linked to the pipeline.
"We are need training courses to develop our
skills," said Azad Kurshid, a security guard on the
pipeline protection force.
Captain Adil Yaha agrees a shortage of soldiers,
equipment and proper training is endangering lives.
"Traditional methods of training the soldiers are
useless for the current situation we are facing
right now," he said.
The North Oil Co, the company which supervises
exports from the northern fields and is in charge of
the pipeline team, denied the men are inadequately
trained.
"Some guards think they need advanced courses in
order to protect the pipelines, whereas training for
the guards is simple," said an official who spoke
anonymously. "We have been able to continue our work
despite the problems we are facing."
He admitted, however, that guard posts need
renovations and that salaries are low.
Protecting the pipeline is vital as oil exports are
Iraq's main source of income.
Before the US-led invasion, the northern pipeline
had a capacity of 800,000 barrels per day, but
recently has been able to carry only about 100,000
barrels because of continuous acts of sabotage.
In response, the government tried various ways to
protect the pipeline, including hiring foreign
security firms. It has also considered using the
Kurdish militia, the peshmerga, to secure the area.
The latest solution, the pipeline security force,
has not surprisingly met with a cool response from
job seekers. "Why should I put myself in danger
while Iraq's oil revenues go to others and not me
and my people?" said Awad Hussein, who lives near
the pipeline.
Sherzad Jalal, a member of the protection force,
added, "We are striving to provide adequate
protection for the oil pipelines, yet that will
never be achieved unless stability is completely
restored in Iraq."
Nawal Athneel is an IWPR trainee in Iraq.
www.iwpr.net
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