Georgian Military Return to Homeland
Thursday, December 26
Georgian military servicemen who participated in the NATO-led ISAF international mission are returning from Afghanistan. Deputy Defence Ministers Mikheil Darchiashvili and Irakli Gegeckori, Chief of General Staff of GAF, Major-General Vakhtang Kapanadze met 295 servicemen of the Batumi Separate Light Infantry Battalion at Novo Alekseyevka airport.
“I would like to express my gratitude to each soldier. Our US and European partners highly appreciate their contribution to global security. I also would like to congratulate the families and relatives of military servicemen for their peaceful return to homeland,” said Deputy Defence Minister Mikheil Darchiashvili. As Chief of General Staff, Major General Vakhtang Kapanadze said two battalions are preparing to rotate the Batumi Separate Light Infantry Battalion in Afghanistan.
The Batumi Separate Light Infantry Battalion of GAF performed their mission shoulder-to-shoulder with the US Marines in Helmand Province. Its main task there was to neutralize insurgent forces in the operational zone of the province, to support local government and the development of Afghan National Security Forces, to control security areas and to cooperate with the US Marine Corps.
The Batumi Separate Light Infantry Battalion was sent to Afghanistan to carry out the ISAF mission in Afghanistan beginning its rotation in September. The battalion completely deployed to the operational area in October. Within several weeks, the military servicemen of the battalion will have fully returned to Georgia.
