Iraq: UNJLC Bulletin 10/2003

UNJLC bulletins aim to provide a concise weekly overview of UNJLC activities and the current logistical situation in regard to the crisis in the Middle East. In addition, sector/country specific reports will be released regularly in order to provide in-depth coverage of priority areas.
The password restrictions have been lifted from the UNJLC website www.unjlc.org, on which full details of all items mentioned in the bulletin below are available. Contact details for all UNJLC offices are available on the UNJLC website at http://www.unjlc.org/home/ref/04/02.html.

1. SECURITY

Iraq: Most of southern Iraq is now at security phase 4.

A Food for the Hungry (FTH) convoy consisting of 2 vehicles was attacked and robbed while traveling from Jordan to Baghdad. Armed men forcibly pulled over the vehicles, 30 minutes outside Baghdad, and took money, radio equipment, computers and other supplies. No one was hurt during the incident.

CARE has reported being offered armed 'protection', for 200USD, from a group of Iraqis operating along the Karama (North-western outskirts of Baghdad)-Baghdad highway.

Iran: The five provinces bordering Iraq - West Azarbayejan, Khuzestan, Ilam, Kermanshah and Kurdistan along with the two provinces bordering Afghanistan on the East, Khorasan and Sistan, have been reduced to security phase 2. The rest of the country is now classified phase 1.

Jordan: The country is at security phase 2.

Kuwait: The country is at security phase 3.

Syria: The country is at security phase 1.

Turkey: The country is at security phase 2 in South East and at phase 1 elsewhere.

2. OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

The second team of UN personnel left Larnaca Tuesday (29/04) for re-entry into Northern Iraq. The team crossed the border at Habur/Silopi and proceeded to Erbil arriving on the 1st May.

A UNJLC Officer has been deployed to the UN in New York to help develop a common approach for handling goods inbound to Iraq as part of the Oil for Food programme. Part of this initiative will be to establish reduced storage and handling rates for the goods.

On the 1st May, a delegation of UN officials, including Ramiro da Silva, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, traveled to Baghdad from Amman by road. The convoy also took basic office and telecommunications equipment in order to establish offices in the capital.

The World Food Programme opened their fifth humanitarian corridor on the 29th April, for food supplies into Iraq when a 22-truck convoy entered into southern Iraq from Kuwait. With nearly 200 aid trucks rolling into northern Iraq every day, the WFP announced today that it has achieved pre-war food security levels in northern Iraq and is now reaching out to cover the food needs of the central region of the country.

3. AIR OPS

Efforts to get flight clearances into Iraq continue to be delayed pending the resolution of a liability issue. The Coalition will not issue any clearances until they have a statement of "release of liability" from the UN. Until that time, it is unlikely that any humanitarian flights will be allowed into Iraq.

The Coalition has ceased operations at Bashur airfield in the Northeast and removed all equipment.

Erbil airport is now being used as an alternative.

Runways and other facilities as Basra airport are reported to be in good condition but cannot be opened until an air traffic control centre has been established. The coalition are taking on this responsibility. There is currently no A1 fuel available at the site.

A Belgium air force C-130 with UN markings for the use of UNHAS arrived and its first mission was flown on 1st May. It is available to operate in both a strategic and regional role as required.

An AN12 cargo aircraft, Registration EK12222 with a capacity of 12-18MT / 90M3 is operating from Amman. The aircraft can land at any airport in the region with a runway of 1,800 meters, provided the necessary clearances are obtained. UNJLC is working to obtain these clearances.

The SAFAIR C-130 has made 2 flights to Diyarbakir last week with UN personnel for re-entry into Northern Iraq.

The Ilyushin76 has been fully tasked up to 8th May.

To date, over 470MT of non-food cargo has been airlifted as part of the pre-positioning of equipment for re-entry into Iraq.

Royal Jordanian (RJ), the company that charges for ground handling fees at Queen Alia airport, Jordan, has proposed to reduce ground handling fees in response to a request from UNJLC/ UN Regional Coordinator.

For the detailed air operations report please see www.unjlc.org/iraq/air/01_01.html

4. BORDER CROSSING AND CUSTOMS

In Jordan, border crossing points are open between 06:00 and 22:00 daily. No major delays or problems reported.

In Syria, the UNJLC, together with other UN agencies, has helped to negotiate with the Syrian Government for exemption from fees for transit, diesel, escort, service, overtime wages and local administration. In addition, the following exemptions for import licenses, port duties, SHIPCO duties, convoy fees, customs duties and taxes and others, are still pending approval. It should be noted that these exemptions do not apply to the Oil for Food programme as this is classified as a commercial venture. In addition, NGOs are only included if they are an implementing partner for the UN (i.e. have a memorandum of understanding (MOU)).

The border crossing points between Syria and Iraq are officially closed to all commercial traffic.

They remain open for (a) UN humanitarian related traffic, (b) Syrians returning to Syria with a valid passport and (c) Iraqis returning to Iraq with a valid passport.

The following border crossings in Iran are open for humanitarian traffic: Shalamchech, Mehran, Khosravi, Penjwin, Haji Umran.

A statement in the Iranian national press on the 29th April stated that Iranian pilgrims were not allowed to cross the border into Iraq. Following this statement, the National Security Office (NSO) authorized all humanitarian convoys (regardless of driver nationality) through the 5 border crossing points mentioned above.

In Turkey, the border crossing point at Habur is working and authorities have indicated that they are assisting UN humanitarian traffic across the border. The crossing, which is currently open from 08:30 to 17:30, will go over to 24hr operation once the daily level of trucks crossing the border reaches 1,000. Before the conflicts in Iraq, up to 3,000 trucks were passing through the crossing daily.

Finally, in Kuwait, the border crossings of Abdaly/Safwan and Umm Qasr, remain open to humanitarian traffic. UNJLC Kuwait reports that the border crossing procedures are still not clearly defined. For re-entry into Iraq, UN license plates are being issued to the NGOs affiliated with the UN, and it is required that their vehicles are painted green with orange logo/signs.

5. TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE

In Iraq, highway #10 which originates in Jordan, has been deemed "permissive" by coalition forces despite high risks of looting and banditry. Only daylight travel is advised. Two seriously damaged areas on the highway have been reported as follows.

Bridge blown 160km from Jordan/Iraq border, east of Ar-Rutbah; only 1 of the 6 lanes is open with the safe lane on left side when traveling east.

Bridge blown passing over highway #10, 330km from Jordan/Iraq border, 3.5 hours from Karamah. All eastbound lanes blocked. Traffic both ways is sharing 3 westbound lanes for 5km.

UNJLC is in the process of organising a technical road and bridge assessment mission from Jordan with civil engineers and de-miners. More details available from UNJLC website at www.unjlc.org/iraq/infrastructure/03_02.html

UNSECOORD has assessed the corridor from Sulaymaniyah and Penjwin/Basheh in the Northeast and are recommending that it be used for UN shipments.

The railway from Umm Qasr to Baghdad is reported to be operational.

The primary Syrian ports of Tartous and Lattakia both have rail access to their port sidings, as does most major mills and grain silos in country. Prior to tensions in the region, the rail capacity was considered weak with a capacity of 1000MT per week to Mosul, Iraq. WFP, in comparison, is able to move 5,000MT per day by road.

In Iran, ICRC has confirmed that the main transport arteries between Baghdad and border crossing points of Iran are in acceptable condition and have not sustained too much damage during the conflicts.

In Kuwait, the Government of Japan is providing USD 2.5 million to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to fund an emergency dredging project in the port of Umm Qasr.

6. LOGISTICS

UNICEF continue to ship relief items into Iraq including basic food supplies (1,466MT), emergency health kits, (45) tents (325), blankets (72,367), water containers (73,092), water purification tablets (192,935) and fuel tanks (5).

UNOPS is also shipping tents (2,920), jerry cans (12,068), blankets (69,781) and other items.

Non-food item stock pre-positioned in countries neighbouring Iraq is shown in table 1 below:

7. CIVIL-MILITARY COORDINATION

Turkey: There are reports that a tactical version of the HOC, the Civil Military Operations Centre (CMOC) is now in place in Zahru.

8. FUEL

In Iraq, test pumping at the Kirkuk terminal was successful. Amarah terminal is open and pumping gas to Basrah.

The Basrah refinery has slowed production due to a pipeline fault. This is deemed important as Basrah is the key refinery and its slowdown will affect the supply in South.The current estimate is that Basrah will not be fully operational to pre-war delivery for 2 to 3 months. Stocks of diesel are high, LPG mix reduced and gasoline is in short supply.

Gasoline remains at shortage in the South; old stocks are available at the Um Qasr. Diesel is sufficient in most areas. LPG mix is available from stocks but the price in all areas is rising fast.

UNJLC Iran is planning to start negotiations with Iranian authorities (BAFIA) to get agreement in principle for export of fuel from Iran to Iraq in support of humanitarian operations.

Fuel prices for the region are listed in the table below; the prices are reported in USD per litre.

RETAIL FUEL PRICES REPORT AS AT 01 May 03