October 23, 2005

CENTCOM Reports

By Douglas Hanson

CENTCOM Weekly Newsletter

The US Central Command Newsletter for the week of October 17 can be found here. Some of the good news concerning the War on Terror:

The Mosul city government and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) are working together to renovate eight Mosul police stations. This $1.9 million dollar project began June 2005; completion is scheduled for this year's end. Five of the eight scheduled renovations already are complete.

Members of 2d Marine Division and Iraqi security forces wrapped up security operations Oct. 16 in support of the Constitutional Referendum in al Anbar Province. The voter turnout in the province was far better than what it was during the national elections held last January, with more than 100,000 eligible voters participating in the process.

Young women in Yemen will have better educational opportunities and increased ability to take part in their society thanks to a $256,000 expansion and renovation of the Darshaad Girl's School by the Combined Joint Task Force — Horn of Africa.

Coalition service members and medical personnel provided medical and dental assistance Sunday to Afghans in Khakeran, Zabol province. The village medical outreach visit, or VMO, treated 414 people; 242 men, 58 women, and 114 children. Dental teams treated 86 men, nine women and 24 children. They performed 43 tooth extractions.

Latest updates on alleged misconduct by US troops in Afghanistan

The CENTCOM Public Affairs Office has forwarded the latest press releases concerning possible Law of War violations by US troops in Afghanistan. Reports surfaced this week about an incident where US troops burned two Taliban dead bodies. According to Soldiers who were present, the unit was unable to bury the bodies because of the rocky terrain, and the corpses were badly decomposing in the 90 degree heat, so some action needed to be taken. Also, the Soldiers were filmed by Australian photojournalist, Stephen Dupont, and the footage was aired on Australian TV

On Wednesday, October 19, Maj. Gen. Jason Kamiya, Combined Joint Task Force—76 Commander said,

"This command takes all allegations of misconduct or inappropriate behavior seriously and has directed an investigation into circumstances surrounding this allegation. If the allegation is substantiated, the appropriate course of action under the Uniform Code of Military Justice and corrective action will be taken."

Then on October 20, Army Colonel Jim Yonts, Combined Forces Command — Afghanistan, Public Affairs Officer reinforced Maj. Gen. Kamiya's remarks on holding Soldiers accountable for their actions.

Compliled by Douglas Hanson, our national security correspondent