TSF provides connectivity for security and coordination in Iraq

Telecoms Sans Frontieres has deployed Internet via VSAT for the humanitarian community in the town of Qayyarah, Iraq, despite the fumes of burning oil fields surrounding Mosul and violent combats just a few miles away.

Qayyarah is situated some 40 miles away from the city of Mosul, where combats continue to intensify day by day. It is estimated that three-quarters of people having fled Mosul will end up in camps to the south of the city, of which the largest, Qayyarah IDP Camp currently holds 1,200 families (6,120 individuals). Construction is underway in order to extend Qayyarah’s capacity, with plans to house a further 6,000 families.
The connectivity that TSF has put in place will benefit the numerous NGOs and UN agencies working in this high-risk area, notably the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), co-leads of the Camp Coordination & Camp Management Cluster (CCCM). The objective is to enhance coordination between Qayyarah, Erbil and Baghdad, and minimise the physical movements of humanitarian workers, thus ensuring their security. Multiple access points mean that reports and assessments can be sent from different parts of the town, and continue to respond to the needs of the thousands of people that continue to arrive weekly.

Simultaneously, TSF is pursuing its assessments throughout the zone with plans to step up operations in the coming weeks.

Original published at: http://spacewatchme.com/2016/11/tsf-provides-connectivity-for-security-and-coordination-in-iraq/