Iraq to build ‘new city’ in place of former military camp

 

Azzaman, November 17, 2009

 

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki says he would build a new city of 65,000 housing units on the grounds of a former military camp.

 

Maliki relayed the news as he was speaking at rally to mark the Baghdad Day early this week.

 

Addressing the crowd he said the city’s foundation stone “will be unveiled soon” and the new housing complex will be called “al-Rashid City”.

 

Haroon al-Rashid is the greatest Muslim Caliph of the Abbasid monarchs who established Baghdad.

 

Previously, the area was the site of one of Iraq’s largest military barracks, called “al-Rashid Camp” which housed a military hospital that was considered one of the best and largest of its kind in the Middle East.

 

The Baghdad Day will be celebrated for almost a week and the festive mood is a reminder of the city’s relative quiet despite deadly car bombings in the past weeks.

 

The new city will be built in accordance with the latest building techniques with modern amenities, the prime minister said.

 

He did not say how much it will cost and which company was going to build it.