El Salvador Renews Troop Commitment to Iraq
August 8, 2008

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Charge d’ Affairs  Robert I. Blau, joined Salvadoran President Elias Antonio Saca and other government official in the ceremony to hand over the El Salvador flag that will travel with 11th Contingent of Salvadoran soldiers for their six-month tour to Iraq.  The ceremony took place at the Artillery Battalion in San Juan Opico in Santa Ana.

This new contingent of 200 soldiers will replace the 280 soldiers that are carrying out humanitarian and reconstruction work in Al-Kut, a city in the province of Wasit south of Baghdad.

The Salvadoran soldiers, who comprise the 11th contingent of the Cuscatlan Battalion that will deploy to Iraq, received the colors from President Saca.  Also present at the ceremony were the Minister of Defense, General Jorge Alberto Molina and Salvadoran Congressman Renato Perez.
Ten contingents of Salvadoran soldiers over the past five years have performed humanitarian and reconstruction activities in Iraq as a testimony to El Salvador’s commitment to helping the Iraqi people establish a stable democracy in their country.

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