Kazakhstan pulls out its peacemaking troops from Iraq

Astana, 22 October 2008, (Khabar) - Kazakhstan has pulled out its
peacemaking troops from Iraq. According to the Ministry for Defence of the Republic, Kazakhstan's engineer squad, operating as part of the coalition troops, finished their mission in Iraq.

The Republic's peacemaking forces operated in Iraq for five years as they had been sent there in 2003 to rotate its line-up every six months. The squad was dealing in mine clearing, organisation of water supply for the local population and providing medical assistance. The unit featured a total of 290 military personnel from Kazakhstan with over 4 million explosives having been defused by the squad over 5 years. Kazakhstan's instructors trained over 500 cadets of the Iraqi
military academy how to defuse mines while the Republic's medical service rendered medical aid to over five thousand Iraqis. During the period from the 18th through the 21st of October, Kazakhstan's deputy minister for defence, Bolat Sembinov is set to pay a visit to the Islamic Republic of Iraq to meet the high command of the Iraqi multi-national forces.

Serik Shalov, official spokesman, Ministry for Defence of RK:
- The Kazakhstan military contribution to the peacemaking activity was noted
and it was also stated that the Republic's troops were being withdrawn at a
time when the country had reached stability in security provision in Iraq
and the Iraqi security troops were ready to control the situation in the
country.