Mideast edition, Saturday, August 18, 2007

American soldiers have finished placing concrete barriers around several fuel stations in eastern Baghdad in an effort to prevent bomb attacks and black marketing of fuel, officials said Friday.

The barriers in the Zafaraniyah section of Baghdad were placed by the 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, officials said.

“Besides the barriers, Iraqi Security Forces are also providing additional protection, as part of an overall plan to disrupt insurgent activity in the area,” a news release issued Friday read.

Gas stations have been repeated targets for suicide bomb attackers and insurgents who use stolen fuel to fund their attacks, U.S. and Iraqi officials have said.