Bechtel, the largest engineering company in the United States and one of the leading American firms involved in reconstruction projects in Iraq has said it is leaving the country after three years of work there. According to Bechtel Corp., the security situation in Iraq has made it too difficult to continue operating.
A total of 52 Bechtel employees have been killed and 49 injured in Iraq since 2003.
The engineering firm was hired by the US government. Its services cost Washington US$2.3 billion.
In its statement, Bechtel said it would not seek any more work in Iraq after company's last contract expired earlier this week. According to Cliff Mumm, Bechtel's president for infrastructure work, the firm had not expected to be operating in a conflict situation, reported the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper.
The giant firm was asked to rebuild Iraq's roads and bridges after the US-led invasion. Bechtel was also involved in building water treatment plants and hospitals and expanding Iraq's power grid.
The company said it had completed all but two of nearly 100 projects in Iraq.
