The last batch of 147 Bulgarian peacekeeping soldiers in Iraq arrived at Sofia Airport on Friday evening, local media reported.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev, Chief of the General Staff of Bulgarian Army Gen. Nikola Kolev, along with other civil and military defense officials welcomed the unit at the airport, said the reports.

The two-year-long peacekeeping missions of the Bulgarian troops in Iraq has now concluded, companioning with the return of about 400 troops deployed in Iraq since August 2003.

A group of 105 soldiers returned to Sofia on Dec. 20, followed by another group of 118 on Dec. 23.

Four Bulgarian soldiers, however, will remain in Iraq until the middle of January 2006, taking care of the equipment, the reports said.

Meanwhile, the Defence Ministry has been working on a plan to send a non-battle troop of 120 soldiers to the Ashraf refugee camp near Baghdad in the coming spring.

Bulgarian Parliament decided in May to withdraw the Bulgarian contingent before the end of the year.

Source: Xinhua