PRT DIYALA ELECTIONS PREPARATION AND SECURITY

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000248 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PINS KDEM ASEC IZ SUBJECT: PRT DIYALA ELECTIONS PREPARATION AND SECURITY OVERVIEW Classified By: Classified by Acting DCM Robert Ford for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) This is a PRT Diyala and ePRT South Diyala reporting cable. ¶2. (S) SUMMARY: Provincial Leaders in Diyala express confidence that preparations are on track for the January 31 Provincial Council (PC) elections. The Governorate Election Office (GEO) reports necessary resources are in place to support the election process. Coalition Forces (CF) and Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) are partnering to prevent destabilizing forces from interfering in the election process. Security plans include command and control measures with close communications between Iraqi Security Forces securing voting centers and Coalition Forces in over watch positions. There is potential for isolated attacks on voting centers. Leaders will be posted at command centers, and security forces will remain on stand by to mitigate any security breaches throughout the province. The attack on a convoy escorted by ISF that wastransporting ballots the late night of January 28 near Jalula highlights that al Qaeda will keep trying to undermine the credibility and legitimacy of the election. END SUMMARY. -------------- ELECTIONS PREPARATION -------------- ¶3. (U) Voters will cast their ballots at 2,119 polling stations in Diyala, located at 325 official voting centers and 27 additional locations approved by the Iraqi High Electoral Commission (IHEC). Voters will choose from 641 candidates from 44 political entities. Candidates are competing for 29 PC seats. Fourteen incumbents are running for reelection. Political campaigning is prevalent in urban centers. ¶4. (C) The Governorate Election Officer, Amer Latif, expressed confidence to PRT members that he is ready to support the election. His staff has completed ballot counting and data input training. IHEC and ISF are implementing a ballot distribution plan. IHEC officials and contractors are the only authorized ballot handlers. Iraqi Police (IP) is primarily providing transportation security with Iraqi Army (IA) supporting the effort. Over 15,000 persons have applied for observer badges, primarily political entity observers. -------------- SECURITY PLANNING -------------- ¶5. (S) The Diyala Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) members attended the Diyala Elections "Rock Drill," a rehearsal of the PC elections security plan, with leaders of Multi-National Division-North, 1-25 Stryker Brigade Combat Team, the Iraqi Police, the Iraqi Army, and the Election Commission. Lieutenant General Abdul Kareem, Commander of the Diyala Operations Center (DOC) briefed the command and control plan to include measures to monitor the provincial borders, limit unnecessary traffic on the roads, and implement an Election Day curfew. He vowed to facilitate "security and an honest election." He promised that no political party would be favored during the election process. ¶6. (S) Major General Abdul H. Damook, Provincial Director of Police (PDOP) expressed his satisfaction regarding the close coordination between the Iraqi Police and the Iraqi Army to secure 325 voting centers throughout the province. He briefed the measures in place to search men and women prior to entry into the voting centers. He emphasized the importance of providing security to all citizens and elections workers throughout the voting process. General Khalid, Commander 5th Division Iraqi Army pledged his support to the Iraqi Police. He promised to maintain close contact with the Iraqi High Election Commission (IHEC) and Coalition Qwith the Iraqi High Election Commission (IHEC) and Coalition Forces. -------------- SIGNIFICANT INCIDENTS LIMITED SO FAR -------------- ¶7. (S) A bicycle borne improvised explosive device detonated on January 27 in front of the Iraqi Islamic Party (IIP) headquarters in Ba'aquba, killing the bike rider and injuring seven persons according to Iraqi Police reports. The IIP, which holds 14 seats in the current 41 member Provincial Council, is the leading Sunni party in Diyala. The police are not sure that the bomber intended to target the IIP or whether his bomb went off prematurely while he was on his way to another destination, possibly the nearby central market, BAGHDAD 00000248 002 OF 002 which has been targeted by bombers earlier this year. ¶8. (S) Late on the night of January 28 terrorists attacked an ISF-escorted convoy transporting ballots near Jalula. The relief force sent to assist them was also attacked. The ballots were eventually delivered intact to their destination. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶9. (S) Elections preparations are on track in Diyala, with necessary resources in place. CF, IP, and IA have well coordinated security plans down to the platoon level to support the elections process. Based on information currently available, military leaders do not anticipate a large scale, coordinated attack on voting centers to undermine the election process. However, the above-described attacks carry the trademark of al-Qaida and highlight that the group will likely make real efforts to undermine the credibility of the election. END COMMENT. CROCKER