Spanish soldiers return home from Iraq

By JULIANE VON REPPERT-BISMARK in Madrid

Throngs of family members rushed up to meet the last group of Spanish soldiers returning to home soil from Iraq yesterday, ending Spain's participation in the military occupation of Iraq.

Relief painted across their faces, wives, children and fellow officers hugged the more than 240 camouflage-clad soldiers as they arrived from Kuwait at a military base in Badajoz.

The soldiers have been undertaking reconstruction and peacekeeping projects since the 1,300-strong Spanish contingent of the Plus Ultra Brigade set up camp in the southern Iraqi cities of Diwaniyah and Najaf last August, alongside troops from Honduras, Salvador, the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua.

Among the soldiers and captains were explosives experts; officers who helped train Iraq's police force and those who had patrolled hospital wards and agricultural projects. Recently, the soldiers had come under increasing attacks by resistance fighters.

"They're very relieved to be back. Right now I should think they are out celebrating with their families," said Jose Luis Gutierrez, spokesman at the Spanish Defence Ministry.

Remaining in Iraq now are about 700 troops working on logistics related to the withdrawal - not attempting to maintain peace in postwar Iraq.

Several of the soldiers brandished the Spanish flag pinned with a black ribbon - a reminder of Madrid's March 11 bombings. Labelled a reprisal by radical Islamic terrorist groups for Spain's support for the US-led war in Iraq and subsequent occupation, the bombings helped secure the election victory three days later of Spain's Socialist Party.

The Socialists had vowed to bring home the troops unless the United Nations assumed a strong role in Iraq by June 30.

Rather than wait for that date, Spain's new Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero last week ordered the immediate return of Spanish troops.

Mr Zapatero told parliamentarians during a debate last Tuesday that "by May 27 there will be no Spanish personnel on Iraqi territory."

Mr Zapatero said his decision to withdraw troops before June 30 was based on his belief that the UN could not agree a new mandate by that deadline, and on his preoccupation with the safety of Spanish troops.

Others pointed to the fact that Mr Zapatero's set date to end Spain's presence in Iraq - May 27 - coincides with the start of campaigning for the European parliamentary elections.

"The June European elections probably have something do to with the quick withdrawal of the troops. The Socialists want to show their electorate they have done something by the European elections," said a civil servant within the Foreign Ministry.

Today, the Prime Minister and Defence Minister were expected to attend an official ceremony to dissolve the Spanish contingent of the Plus Ultra Brigade.

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Herald Feature: Iraq