Last Filipino troops pull out

2004-07-19 11:40

Manila - The last 34 Philippines troops in Iraq left camp on Monday and were headed out of the country to complete their contingent's withdrawal in an attempt to save the life of a hostage, the government said.

"This last component of the humanitarian contingent began their journey out of Iraq this morning, when they left their quarters in Babil province," Foreign Secretary Delia Albert said.

"Before the end of the day, all members of the Philippine humanitarian contingent will be out of Iraq," Albert added.

The troops had turned over their humanitarian and civic projects to the Polish sector in Iraq, she said.

Albert did not say where the Filipino troops were headed. Other officials said earlier they would travel by road to Kuwait from where they would fly home.

The Philippines began withdrawing its tiny force in Iraq last week after agreeing to demands of Iraqi militants holding hostage a Filipino truck driver.

The militants said they would execute Angelo de la Cruz if the government did not pull out its troops by July 31, almost a month ahead of the scheduled withdrawal of the Philippine forces.

- AFP