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Australian forces have completed combat operations in Iraq, ending a five-year commitment to the war.
The Australian Army lowered its flag at Camp Terendak in the southern Iraqi city of Talil on Monday, turning over security responsibility for Muthanna and Dhi Qar provinces to U.S. forces. The 550 forces stationed at the camp will return home in the coming weeks.
Another 60 combat forces who worked throughout Iraq are also completing their deployments.
“Our soldiers have worked tirelessly to ensure that local people in southern Iraq have the best possible chance to move on from their suffering under (Saddam Hussein’s) regime and, as a government, we are extremely proud of their service,” said Joel Fitzgibbon, Australian Minister of Defence.
“Since commencing the training role, (Australian Defence Force) personnel in southern Iraq have contributed to the individual and collective training of 33,000 Iraqi Army soldiers.”
...[Prime Minister John Howard], Rudd’s predecessor, said in Australian news reports that he was “baffled” by the decision to withdraw the troops.
“If I had been returned at the last election we would not have been bringing (troops) home, we would have been looking at transitioning them from their soon-to-be terminated role to a training role,” ...
About 1,000 Australian troops will remain in and around Iraq in non-combat roles, according to the Ministry of Defence, including providing security for diplomats, conducting maritime surveillance patrols, providing intelligence assistance and conducting logistical operations.
Two Australian troops died during the war in Iraq.
In other nooz:
France will help Iraq build better medical centers as well as give aid to equip and train Iraqi security forces, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner told Iraqi officials during a weekend visit.
Sven
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