INCREASED SECURITY BRINGING DOURA MARKET TO LIFE

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 001360 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/20/2017 TAGS: IZ MOPS PGOV PINS PTER SUBJECT: INCREASED SECURITY BRINGING DOURA MARKET TO LIFE Classified By: A/Pol-Mil Counselor Apar Sidhu for reasons 1.4 (b/d) ¶1. (S) SUMMARY: The establishment by Coalition Forces of a Combat Outpost in Baghdad's Doura market, as well as initial efforts to harden the market, has significantly reduced violence in the area. No murders have been recorded near the market since the Combat Outpost was created and the area appears to be slowly rebounding. Approximately 140 of the market,s 650 shops are now open for at least a part of the day. Conversely, more than 500 shops remain closed and are unlikely to open until further progress is made on providing both essential services -- such as electricity -- and better security. Coalition forces are trying to address these concerns with plans to install generators, begin regular trash collection and build a perimeter fence around the market. END SUMMARY. -------------- Taking Doura Back -------------- ¶2. (S) Baghdad's once flourishing Doura market was -- until recently -- considered among the most dangerous areas of the capital, with bombings and murders occurring almost daily. Al Qaeda has been particularly active in Doura, which is more than 90 percent Sunni. ¶3. (S) After a clearance operation, Coalition and Iraqi forces on December 23 established a Combat Outpost to provide a 24-hour presence in the market area. It consists of an American company and its paired Iraqi Army unit. Both U.S. and Iraqi troops live and sleep at the outpost. During an April 17 visit by PolMilOffs, U.S. soldiers reported good relations with their Iraqi colleagues, with one noting that the Iraqi soldiers are able to "read" the local population in a way the American forces cannot. ¶4. (S) The Combat Outpost appears to have had a noticeable impact on civilian casualties, particularly murders. According to the U.S. Battalion Commander in charge of the area, there have been no murders in the market area since the outpost's establishment. By contrast, there were 27 murders from November 1 to December 23, 2006. The commander also stated that the number of Improvised Explosive Devices found or detonated around the area has also fallen from 36 to 25 in the same period. Asserting that the forces at the Combat Outpost are gaining the local population's trust, the commander said that tip lines had been "ringing off their hooks" with information about the location of roadside bombs and other threats. ¶5. (S) Other measures already taken to secure the market include: concrete vehicle access control points to prevent unrestricted vehicle access and the installation of over 50 solar-powered street lights, which provide illumination until about 0300. The lights are not intended to facilitate night-time commerce but are a security measure. The U.S. Army captain commanding the outpost states that they provide nighttime patrols good lighting to view the market area. This, he said, has reduced crime and eliminated the dumping of bodies in the market area. -------------- Population Security Improved, But At A Cost -------------- ¶6. (S) This heightened Coalition security presence seems to have resulted in an increase of direct attacks on U.S. forces. Since the establishment of the Combat Outpost there have been 54 direct fire incidents in the area. This is a significant increase from 30 in the previous three-month reporting period. The outpost commander attributed this increase to the more active presence of U.S. troops patrolling on foot in the area. He said troops now patrolled the neighborhood around the clock. -------------- Security Brings Doura,s Market to Life -------------- ¶7. (S) The outpost commander believes that the market is slowly rebounding as a result of the increased security. He cited the fact that hardly any stores were open before the establishment of the outpost, whereas about 140 shops are now open. During their visit, PolMilOffs saw the stores clustered along the market,s periphery on 24th Street selling a wide range of merchandise. In the small teashop, BAGHDAD 00001360 002 OF 003 elderly men were playing dominos. At the same time, the visit revealed a market is not yet thriving: while 140 shops were open, over 500 remained closed and all of the shops were open only for a few hours in the morning, closing around noon. -------------- Many Challenges Remain -------------- ¶8. (S) During discussions with PolMilOffs, Doura merchants revealed a number of issues that they felt needed to be addressed to further improve business in the market: -- Electricity: Virtually all the merchants complained about a lack of electricity for the shops. According to one U.S. soldier, the Doura market area only receives three or four hours of electricity a day. One merchant said that restoration of the electrical grid would cause the market to "spring to life." -- Security in the areas surrounding the market also needs to improve: One dress shop owner told PolMilOffs that while security in the market had increased, the lack of security outside the market made it virtually impossible for him to travel to get stock. As a result, he had to pay others willing to make the dangerous trip, increasing his costs and making his products too expensive for most of his customers. Ironically, he said that he felt almost imprisoned by the market,s security. -- Security must be sustained and expanded, making it worthwhile to reopen: One shopkeeper said that many of his colleagues were "still on the fence" as to whether or not the latest version of the Baghdad Security Plan would succeed. As a result, they were keeping goods in storage until they could determine whether it was "worth it" to reopen. To illustrate the point, a U.S. commander pointed out a shop he said was full of Persian rugs, explaining that the owner was living outside Iraq until the security situation stabilized. -- Garbage removal/street cleaning: One store owner said that cleaning crews had not worked in the area for six months. -------------- Next Steps -------------- ¶9. (S) According to outpost commander, efforts are underway to address some of the merchants, concerns. For example, a generator system will be installed which should provide the market with electricity 24 hours a day. Contracts have also been signed to remove garbage and to repair roads and sidewalks. The U.S. Battalion Commander said he was looking forward to working with the soon-to-be established embedded PRT on a number of issues, including engagement of the Chamber of Commerce on the need to attract businesses back to the market. -------------- Increased Physical Security -------------- ¶10. (S) Efforts to harden the market will also continue, particularly through the construction of a perimeter fence. Access into and out of the market will be controlled via seven large pedestrian turnstile gates, which are meant to further reduce the suicide vest or backpack bomb threat. All persons entering the market through these turnstiles will be subject to search. Vehicle access will initially be controlled by concrete barriers with plans to eventually install dropdown gates. Delivery vehicles will only be allowed access after the market closes. Total cost for these improvements is estimated at $1.1 million dollars and will be funded by the Commanders Emergency Relief Program funds. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶11. (S) While many in the media have focused on the surge component of the revised Baghdad Security Plan, perhaps the most significant distinction separating current Coalition security operations from earlier ones is the practice of integrating forces into the local community. The establishment of the Combat Outpost in the Doura market, as well as the associated effort to increase population security through a hardening of the facility, draw from classic BAGHDAD 00001360 003 OF 003 counter-insurgency doctrine. While it has initially yielded positive results, it remains to be seen whether these can be sustained in the face of enemy attacks on any sign of progress. We intend to visit the market again in a few months to gauge whether progress is continuing. CROCKER