HOLY NAJAF, Iraq: The first civil plane in 15 years touched down Saturday on a desert landing strip, still under construction, in the holy city of Najaf and sheep scampered off the runway and nomads emerged from their tents to watch it.

The US-Canadian company SkyLink operates the aircraft.

Even on a happy day in this southern city, the dangers of Iraq were close at hand. Iraqi police and soldiers patrolled the runway. Before landing, the SkyLink pilot made spirals in the sky to avoid potential surface-to-air missiles from terrorists. Just last month, terrorists shot down a SkyLink helicopter, killing eight passengers. The sole survivor of the crash was gunned down by terrorists, who videotaped the grisly scene and sent it to Arab-language satellite stations.

Mike Douglas, a former British military officer and SkyLink's regional director, said after the plane landed that he was very happy on his arrival to the Holy Najaf.

He brought with him $500,000 of donated emergency medical supplies to stock Najaf's sorely depleted hospitals. Across Iraq, doctors struggle to treat patients with a lack of medicine and outdated surgical equipment, but few cities are in such dire need as Najaf.

The main hospital was severely damaged in clashes between Sadr's militia and US and Iraqi forces. At the height of the violence, two smaller hospitals carried out surgeries in reception lobbies. Ten months later, there's been little reconstruction of the hospitals and doctors said patients still bleed to death for lack of simple equipment.

Expressing his happiness on landing of the plane successfully on Najaf Airport, Najaf's newly elected Governor Asa’ad Sultan Abu Khilal said the airfield after landing of this aircraft is ready to receive pilgrims and delegates who desire to visit the holy city that houses the holy shrine of holy Prophet (p)’s son-in-law, cousin and first infallible successor Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (p) by air. He termed the move as a very significant step in the field of finance and travel. He also thanked SkyLink's director for extending medical help to the people of Najaf.

Abu Kalil said he was frustrated by the central government's health-care bureaucracy. Important drug bids were mired in paperwork and doctors' urgent requests for supplies went unanswered, he said. He took the unusual step in reaching out to a foreign partner: the Washington-based SkyLink, which operates flights for nongovernmental organizations in Iraq's deadly skies.

"I asked all the humanitarian agencies in the world to assist with our problem," the governor said. "Our province is in a renaissance period after the major damage and destruction. We are taking serious steps to prevent such shortages in the future."

SkyLink donated the half-million dollar shipment Saturday. Workers unloaded 90 boxes packed with painkillers, anesthetics and other emergency-room staples. Crowds of Najaf officials and residents clapped and eagerly rushed to help move the crates from the Russian-made plane.

Najaf residents said they appreciated the risk the company took to help rebuild their hospitals. The shipment was the most significant contribution yet to rebuilding the city's dilapidated clinics.

"I'm proud of all the good people in the world who are still thinking of us," said a Najaf resident in his 50s who gave his name as Abu Sadiq. "I hope that this donation will improve the health conditions in Najaf."

The drugs were loaded onto trucks and taken to a warehouse, to be stored and distributed to doctors. Two hours after the trucks left, celebrants went home and sheep once again ventured onto the runway.