By IANS,
Madrid : Spanish Defence Minister Carme Chacon has said all of Spain’s troops on the Libyan mission would return home by the end of October.
The decision came a week after four Spanish F-18 fighter planes arrived home, accomplishing their combat mission as part of the NATO operation, Xinhua reported.
The fighters were based in Italy along with two tanker planes, which will be back in Spain before the start of next week together with 60 air force personnel.
They will be joined by the 235 crew onboard the frigate Alvaro de Bazan, which has been on duty off the Libyan coast.
Spain also had a submarine on permanent duty off the coast which will return home soon.
Chacon said the objectives of the military operation had been fulfilled and that Spain had played a “relevant, exemplary and determining role”.
The Spanish tanker planes carried out 250 missions, with a total of 700 flight hours, he said.
Spain spent an average of 14.4 million euros (around $20 million) a month in the seven-month-long mission.