Tonga to withdraw troops from Iraq
28/10/2008 16:20
The Commander of the Tonga Defence Services has confirmed that Tonga would
withdraw its troops from Iraq before Christmas, Matangi Tonga online reported
today.
Brigadier Tau'aika' Uta'atu said that Tonga's fourth contingent of 55
soldiers who had been deployed in Iraq since August would be back to Tonga
before Christmas.
He said bilateral negotiation was going on between the U.S
and the Iraq government on whether the Americans should extend their stay in
Iraq beyond December.
Tonga first sent a contingent of 44 soldiers to Iraq in
2004, in response to a request from the US government for assistance.
More
than 200 Tongan soldiers have served in Iraq to date.
Xinhua
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