By NNN-Bernama,
Melbourne : Australian Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon has paid tribute to Australia’s combat troops in Iraq , saying they will leave a lasting legacy in the strife-torn nation.
The 550-member Overwatch Battle Group-West (OBG-W), based at Camp Terendak within the sprawling Tallil base outside the city of Nasiriyah in Iraq’s Dhi Qar province, has started its withdrawal, The Australian newspaper’s online edition says.
As the flag was lowered on Australia’s combat commitment, Fitzgibbon Monday declared as a success the mission which has allowed Iraq’s security forces to take control.
The battle group gave the fledgling Iraqi army the space and time to train, grow and consolidate into a force that had proven itself in recent months, he said.
Australian personnel had contributed to the individual and collective training of 33,000 Iraqi army soldiers. Australian forces also helped train the Iraqis in logistics management, combat service support and counter-insurgency operations.
“While only a small element of the 3,700 personnel who served in security and training roles, the Australian contribution to the Iraqi army’s counter-insurgency academy is one of the lasting legacies of our commitment,” Fitzgibbon said.
About 300 Australian troops will stay in Iraq, including the 110-member security detachment guarding Australian diplomats and others in Baghdad .
A further 500 military personnel will remain in the region, including 200 sailors aboard the HMAS Stuart in the Persian Gulf.