Bulgaria starts withdrawing troops from Iraq

Bulgaria began withdrawing the remainder of its troops from Iraq and the first group of more than 100 were expected to arrive home today, the Defence Ministry announced.

Bulgaria initially contributed 500 troops to the US-led coalition in Iraq in 2003, but gradually reduced the number in recent years.

The 380 Bulgarian troops still in the country are serving under Polish command in the Iraqi city of Diwaniya, south of Baghdad.

All are expected to return home by the end of this month, with the first group of 105 due to arrive at the international airport in Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia, later today, the Defence Ministry said.

Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev will greet the troops at the airport, his office announced.

The Defence Ministry said that the infantry battalion in Iraq had concluded its mission and is relocating to Bulgaria as decided by Parliament.

The ministry said that “with the elections conducted, Bulgaria’s infantry battalion has successfully concluded its mission in Iraq.”

Parliamentary elections were held last week in Iraq.

The Bulgarian battalion has transferred its military responsibilities in Diwaniya to Iraqi forces.

Defence Minister Veselin Bliznakov said earlier that Bulgaria will “most likely” continue its military involvement in Iraq by contributing a 120-strong non-combat unit tasked with guarding the Ashraf refugee camp.

He said this non-combat mission would start early next year and would last at least four months.

In May, Bulgaria’s parliament voted to cut the number of troops in Iraq from 460 to 400 and to continue their deployment through the end of 2005.

Thirteen Bulgarian soldiers died in Iraq since the country initially deployed troops there in August 2003. Six Bulgarian civilians also died.