Estonian troops leave Iraq – spokesman

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Estonian troops in Iraq on Saturday left the country after ending their missions there, according to a spokesman for the Iraqi defense ministry. “All 34 Estonian troops in Iraq left the country today (Feb. 7) and were bidden farewell by Iraqi Defense Minsiter Abdelqader al-Obaidi with his Estonian counterpart Jaak Aaviksoo as desired by the Iraqi government,” Maj. General Mohammed al-Askari told IraqiNews.com news agency. The Iraqi Presidential Board (PB) had passed on December 28, 2008 a resolution authorizing the cabinet to organize and set controls on the presence and withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq. The Estonian contingent was part of a U.S.-led international alliance that toppled the regime of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein on April 9, 2003. AmR (P) 1