Chairman of the Khidr Town Council participated in ribbon-cutting ceremonies for the newly-refurbished Khidr irrigation bridge and a new marketplace in Khidr, Aug. 15, 2008.

The chairman, Sheik Jaffer Hussein, Col. Thomas James, commander of 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, and Lt. Col. Timothy Newsome, commander of 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment attended the ceremonies.

More than 100 local citizens turned out to celebrate the opening of the bridge, which will allow access for residents of Khidr and Abu Shemshi to travel on key roadways to markets in Iskandariyah.

“I’ve been working this project through my [civil affairs] channels really hard and could not be more pleased with the final result,” said Maj. Sean Hood, Civil Affairs Team chief at Forward Operating Base Iskan. “The bridge is of such a high quality.”

The bridge is state-of-the-art and will immensely improve living conditions and artistic appearance of the area, Hood said.

Following the ceremony, local children took advantage of the new bridge by hosting a diving competition, and Sheikh Jaffer hosted a luncheon at his home in celebration of the event.

DVIDS
By 1st Lt. Travis Hayes
4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division