Bulgarian troops began withdrawing from Iraq on Friday after their mission concluded, the Bulgarian Defense Ministry's press office said.

In a statement issued on Friday afternoon, the ministry said the 400 Bulgarian soldiers deployed in Iraq's southern region of Divaniyah had concluded their military mission and began their withdrawal.

According to the action plan, Bulgaria will officially hand over the commanding power in the Divaniyah region in days to come to Iraqi troops, who have been trained by the Bulgarian troops, the statement said.

The Bulgarian troops have planned to withdraw in three batches as of Friday and the pullout are expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Bulgaria, which sent troops to Iraq in May 2003, has lost 13 soldiers during the past two years.

In May, the Bulgarian parliament decided that the 400 soldiers in Iraq should come back home before Dec. 31, 2005.

Source: Xinhua