Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Rafeaa al-Eissawi said on Tuesday that the cabinet allocated $100 million to reconstruct Diala and its villages.
"The cabinet decided during its session today to allocate $100 million to rebuild cities and villages in Diala province," said a statement released from al-Eissawi's office received by Aswat al-Iraq - Voices of Iraq - (VOI).
"The decision came within certain procedures taken to boost the security operation in Diala," he added.
Iraq's security forces had launched a wide-scale security campaign in Diala province last week. The operation, codenamed Bashaer al-Kheir (Promise of Good), is aimed at tracking down members of al-Qaeda network in Diala, Iraq's most restive city, after the armed group lost its strongholds in the western Iraq predominantly Sunni province of al-Anbar, where tribesmen fought its members and flushed them out of the city.
Diala province 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.
(Voices of Iraq)
