The Sulaminiyah province is the last province in Iraq to complete the $161 million border fort construction project funded by Coalition forces.
Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq
BAGHDAD -- Iraqi forces believe that in order to secure what’s on the inside, you have to secure what’s on the outside.
Iraq’s border forts have been constructed to do just that. According to the Department of Border Enforcement, the forts are in place to deter, disrupt and interdict cross-border movement of contraband, illegal aliens and insurgent support.
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Theodore Price, a Civilian Police Assistance Training Team chief, said the forts are used as Iraq’s first layer of defense in support of the nation’s fight against terrorism.
“They are used as a means of preventing foreign fighters and smugglers from entering or leaving the country,” Price said.
Since June 2004, the Coalition has funded 258 border forts throughout nine Iraqi provinces, according to U.S. Air Force Capt. Tara DeVaugh, DBE program manager. The first three forts were built in Al Anbar.
To date, 255 border forts have been completed in the provinces of As Sulaymaniah, Diyala, Wasit, Maysan, Basrah, Al Muthanna, An Najaf, Al Anbar and Ninawa.
By September, an additional three forts located within As Sulaymania and Al Anbar provinces will complete the $161 million project.
“These specific areas were selected by the Iraqi government and Coalition leaders as the best tactical and strategic locations of each border fort,” said Price.
Construction of the forts also comes with many challenges – security and health concerns are contributing factors to slowing down the building process.
“Workers are often threatened by local tribes,” said Price. “Security must then be provided to the contractors, which adds about one third to the cost of the contract. Finally, water for the construction is very scarce, especial in the western region of the country, which leaves the contractor to either bring in water or dig wells.”
Although the challenges have slowed the process, they have not stopped it. U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq commanding general, said the new Iraqi government is serious about establishing policies and practices at the legal border crossings to make sure they aren’t points of ingress for illegal entries.
“Iraqi forces will have responsibility for 3,161 kilometers (1,964 miles) of Iraq’s borders,” said Dempsey. “However, it’s a tiered approach that the Iraqi government has chosen to take; border police on the perimeter backed up by the Iraqi Army, backed up by the Coalition.”
According to Price, border forts are also used as logistical and administrative hubs for Iraqi patrol agents.
“A fort is similar to a small forward operating base. It can act as the headquarters for a unit, providing complete life support for those who use it as lodging,” Price said.
Each fort has billeting space for guards and leadership, DeVaugh said. The forts also include shower and bath facilities; office and administration areas; a kitchen; an armory; and observation posts. To keep everything running in the remote locations, each border fort has its own generator with another for backup.
“Border police complete multiple week rotations at a time and the forts are designed to house several guards at any given time to allow for overlap,” Devaugh said.
In addition, prior to Coalition involvement, ports of entry reported independently to the Iraqi senior leadership. Operations and procedures were informal and varied depending on leadership, topography, size and function of the facility.
Today each port of entry is under multi-ministerial control, with various responsibilities, procedures and separate reporting chains.
“Control of the border forces has always been under the MOI (Ministry of Interior),” said Army Maj. John Mulhall, Civilian Police Assistance Training Team. “The Coalition is assisting in the development of a more effective force that will work in partnership with other MOI forces.”
According to Mulhall, Coalition forces are supporting the Iraqi police at many of the border forts.
“The Department of Border Enforcement has an outstanding command structure with great leadership,” Price said. “I am confident that within the course of another six months they will be able to achieve Iraqi self control of the borders with little or no support needed from the Coalition forces.”