seruriermarshal
04-23-2004, 08:47 AM
Bulgarian soldier died in Iraq
SOFIA (AFP) - A Bulgarian soldier died after being shot in an ambush in the Iraqi holy Shiite city of Karbala, a Bulgarian correspondent reported from the town.
The report from the correspondent for the Bulgarian agency Focus was confirmed in Sofia by the chairman of the parliament's foreign policy commission, Venko Alexandrov.
Five Bulgarian soldiers were killed in a bomb attack in Karbala on December 27 last year, and five have been injured so far in April.
The ambush Friday came when a Bulgarian patrol returning to its base was attacked by mortar and automatic arms fire and returned fire, the defense ministry said in a statement.
Earlier Friday in Sofia, five Bulgarian deputies tabled a motion in parliament for Bulgarian troops to leave Iraq (news - web sites) by July 10 but both the government and opposition have already said they want the soldiers to stay.
Bulgaria has 450 soldiers in Iraq, serving under Polish command in Karbala, south of Baghdad.
The five deputies, four from the opposition and one independent, said in their motion that "the national interests of Bulgaria do not at all require Bulgarian troops to take part in the occupation of Iraq."
Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Solomon Passy on Tuesday assured US Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) that his country had no intention of withdrawing its contingent.
RIP
SOFIA (AFP) - A Bulgarian soldier died after being shot in an ambush in the Iraqi holy Shiite city of Karbala, a Bulgarian correspondent reported from the town.
The report from the correspondent for the Bulgarian agency Focus was confirmed in Sofia by the chairman of the parliament's foreign policy commission, Venko Alexandrov.
Five Bulgarian soldiers were killed in a bomb attack in Karbala on December 27 last year, and five have been injured so far in April.
The ambush Friday came when a Bulgarian patrol returning to its base was attacked by mortar and automatic arms fire and returned fire, the defense ministry said in a statement.
Earlier Friday in Sofia, five Bulgarian deputies tabled a motion in parliament for Bulgarian troops to leave Iraq (news - web sites) by July 10 but both the government and opposition have already said they want the soldiers to stay.
Bulgaria has 450 soldiers in Iraq, serving under Polish command in Karbala, south of Baghdad.
The five deputies, four from the opposition and one independent, said in their motion that "the national interests of Bulgaria do not at all require Bulgarian troops to take part in the occupation of Iraq."
Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Solomon Passy on Tuesday assured US Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) that his country had no intention of withdrawing its contingent.
RIP