Philippines completes pullout from Iraq
AP, Manila
The Philippines said yesterday that it has completed the withdrawal of its peacekeeping contingent from Iraq, meeting a demand by Iraqi insurgents threatening to behead a Filipino hostage but defying opposition from Washington. The last members of the 51-strong force made an "exit call" on the new Polish commander at their base in Hillah, south of Baghdad, then waved as they left in six cars. Foreign Secretary Delia Albert said they would travel by road to Kuwait, a several-hour trip, then take a commercial flight home. They had been scheduled to leave Iraq on Aug. 20. "Before the end of this day, all members of the Philippine humanitarian contingent will be out of Iraq," she said in a nationally televised statement. Some of Manila's allies, including the United States and Australia, have sharply criticized the withdrawal decision, engineered to save the life of truck driver Angelo dela Cruz, saying it would only encourage more kidnappings. They argue it encourages terrorists and endangers other coalition members in Iraq. There was no immediate word on the fate of dela Cruz. The insurgents who snatched him on July 7 near Fallujah, killing his Iraqi security guard, have said they would free the 46-year-old father of eight once the last Filipino troops had left. Army Brig. Gen. Jovito S. Palparan Jr., commander of the Philippine contingent, returned home Monday ahead of his troops, saying he was happy to be back. Some of the peacekeepers left for Kuwait last week. "The men I left there are OK," he said before meeting with Albert and military chief Narciso Abaya to report details of the withdrawal.
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Iraqi policemen and US soldiers inspect the site of suicide car bomb attack near a police station in southern Baghdad yesterday. At least ten people were killed and 56 wounded. PHOTO: AFP |
