Deputy PM takes damages up with Diala officials

DIALA / IraqiNews.com: Deputy Prime Minister Rafie al-Issawi met with local officials from Diala province to discuss means of compensating those who have been affected by “acts of terrorism” and military operations. The meeting was attended by representatives of Diala’s provincial council, notables, chieftains, and the minister of state for civil society affairs, Thamir Jafar al-Zubaydi, according to a statement released by Issawi’s office and received by IraqiNews.com. Among the topics tackled during the meeting were electricity supplies, trade, agricultural and irrigation projects, security, and unemployment, the statement noted. Diala province, a mix of Sunnis and Shiites, extends to the northeast of Baghdad as far as the Iranian border. Its capital is Baaquba, 57 km northeast of Baghdad. It covers an area of 17,685 square kilometers (6,828 sq mi). A large portion of the province is drained by the Diala River, a major tributary of the Tigris. Because of its proximity to two major sources of water, Diala’s main industry is agriculture, primarily dates grown in large Date Palm groves. It is also recognized as the orange capital of the Middle East. In January 2008 Operation Phantom Phoenix was launched in an attempt to eradicate the remnants of al-Qaeda network following the Diala province campaign between 2006 and 2007. SS (S) 1