La marina irachena riceve navi pattuglia costruite in Italia
● La marina irachena sta ricostruendosi, dopo essere stata annientata nella guerra del 1991 e nella invasione a guida americana del 2003.
o Dispone attualmente di circa 2000 marinaia, che dovrebbero giungere a 6500 in 2-3 anni.
● La prima di quattro navi pattuglia per la marina irachena costruite dall’italiana Fincantieri, La Spezia, giungerà il 17 giugno nel porto iracheno di Umm Qasr.
o La nave, Fatah che significa conquista o vittoria, percorrerà scortata da navi da guerra italiane, americane e britanniche la rotta dal Mediterraneo, Canale di Suez, Golfo di Aden, Stretto di Hormuz.
– La commissione UE ha annunciato aiuti umanitari per €20mn. per i profughi interni iracheni (che sarebbero ancora 1,6 mn.), e popolazioni in difficoltà (centinaia di migliaia fuggiti nei paesi confinanti, Siria e Giordania in particolare).
Dal 2007 la UE ha stanziato €47,8mn. di aiuti per i profughi etc., convogliati per progetti di agenzie ONU, Croce Rossa/Mezzaluna Rossa.
– The Iraqi navy on Friday took delivery of the first of four Italian-made patrol ships, the US military said, adding that it will set sail from Italy for home waters later this month.
– The Fatah, meaning to conquer or victory, was re-flagged to Iraq after its completion at the Fincantieri shipyard in La Spezia, Italy, the US military said in a statement.
The flagship will sail 5,500 nautical miles from Italy through the Mediterranean, Suez Canal, and into the pirate-filled waters of the Gulf of Aden off Somalia, Straits of Hormuz and into Iraqi sovereign waters.
– The ship, which will be escorted variously by Italian, American and British warships, is expected in Iraq’s Umm Qasr port on June 17. The voyage is expected to take 29 days.
– Iraq’s navy is currently rebuilding itself after being destroyed in the 1991 Gulf War and 2003 US-led invasion. It now has about 2,000 sailors, and defense chiefs aim to boost its manpower to 6,500 in the next two to three years.
The long voyage from Italy will be the first time the new Iraqi navy has travelled outside Arabian waters, and is the first such journey for the force in decades.
– Separately on Friday, the European Commission announced 20 million euros ($27 million) in fresh humanitarian aid for displaced and "vulnerable" Iraqis.
The new funding is "to address the urgent humanitarian needs of refugees, internally displaced people and other vulnerable populations affected by the crisis in Iraq, and to support coordination of the humanitarian response," the EU’s executive arm said in a statement.
– "Despite positive developments in Iraq, the situation there is still in a fragile transition stage. Around 1.6 million Iraqis remain displaced inside the country, and hundreds of thousands are living in difficult conditions in neighboring countries despite generous hospitality," said EU Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Louis Michel.
"This new funding will respond to sustained humanitarian needs and will once again reaffirm our continued solidarity with the Iraqi people," Michel added.
The funding will help provide food, water and sanitation, basic healthcare, "psychosocial support" and help for people on the move or returning home.
– Since 2007 the European Commission has provided 47.8 million euros to support internally displaced people in Iraq, as well as Iraqi refugees in Syria and Jordan. The funds are channeled to projects implemented by specialized UN agencies, and the Red Cross/Red Crescent movement. – AFP