Estonian armed forces chief goes patroling in Iraq
11.03.2008
TALLINN, Mar 11, BNS - The chief of the Estonian armed forces, Lt. Gen. Ants Laaneots, visited on Monday the infantry platoon ESTPLA-16 serving in Iraq and joined the soldiers in a motorized and foot patrol of villages outside Sab al Bor, the unit's area of responsibility, military spokespeople here report.
"The platoon acted professionally and cool-headedly out in the terrain," the general said. "The personnel of the Kuperjanov Battalion have made obvious progress in the three months of the mission, they have gained self-confidence and the experience one can only get in real operations."
Laaneots said the former reservists have become professional soldiers who are in no way inferior to allied troops.
In the evening Laaneots met with the leaders of the NATO training mission in Iraq who briefed him about the present state of the Iraqi forces.
The defense forces commander is to meet also with the commander of Multinational Force Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, and commander of Multinational Corps Lt. Gen. Lloyd Austin.
ESTPLA-16, formed mostly of reserve soldiers from the Kuperjanov Battalion, has been serving in Iraq since December 2007.
Estonian military have been participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom since June 2003. During that time two soldiers have been killed and a score wounded.
Tallinn newsroom, +372 610 8861, sise@bns.ee
 
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