Putin Agrees to Withdraw Russian Troops from Armenia
Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to withdraw Russian troops and border guards from various parts of Armenia
Bulgaria's government has decided in favor of a major pullout of the Bulgarian troops stationed in Afghanistan, Defense Minister Anyu Angelov announced after Wednesday's Cabinet sitting.
Thus, Bulgaria will bring home three-fourths of its more than 600 troops currently serving within NATO's ISAF mission, under a newly adopted document with the lengthy title "Strategy for the Transformation of the Participation of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria in the NATO-led International Forces in Afghanistan."
Gen. Angelov told journalists the Bulgarian withdrawal from Afghanistan will be carried out in three phases:
the two Bulgarian medical teams in the province of Herat will be brought home by the end of 2012;
the Bulgarian company currently in charge of guarding the airport in Kabul will come home for good in early 2013
the Bulgarian company currently guarding the airport in Kandahar will follow suit by the end of 2014.
This withdrawal time frame roughly appears to coincide with the US plans for transferring the security responsibilities in Afghanistan to the Afghan security forces by 2014.
After 2014, Bulgaria still plans to be involved in Afghanistan by participating in the training of the Afghan security forces, the Bulgarian Defense Minister explained.
Angelov further told reporters in Sofia that Bulgaria had no plans of sending in a battle group in Afghanistan.
He himself made a statement back in 2010 that Bulgaria might send a battle group, which, according to media reports, nearly cost him his post; Bulgaria's forces in Afghanistan – not unlike those of the majority of the ISAF countries – have had a support role of patrolling and guarding in Afghanistan.
Bulgaria has not lost any troops in Afghanistan to date (unlike Iraq where it lost 13 men) but in January 2010 four Bulgarian soldiers got seriously injured in a Taliban rocket attack on Kandahar Airport, one of them losing his hand.
Angelov did add, however, that with the certification of the first out of a total of six Bulgarian battalion groups by the end of 2012, the government will complete the first phase of the modernization of the Bulgarian Army, i.e. land forces, according to the 2020 Investment Plan.
We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!
The vessel known as the "Ruen," operated by the "Navigation Maritime Bulgare," has arrived in Varna for repairs, as announced by Captain Alexander Kalchev, who serves as the executive director of the shipping company
The British Minister of the Armed Forces, Leo Doherty, is set to embark on a two-day visit to Bulgaria, as announced by the British Embassy
In a recent interview with bTV, Defense Chief Emil Eftimov addressed concerns about the presence of anti-NATO sentiments within the Bulgarian military
Bulgaria's Defense Minister, Atanas Zapryanov, affirmed that the reintroduction of mandatory conscription is not under consideration amidst the country's ongoing efforts to modernize its armed forces and enhance military personnel remuneration.
In response to ongoing staffing challenges within the Bulgarian army, the caretaker government is exploring alternative solutions, with military training for security personnel emerging as a potential strategy
Bulgaria's Parliament has taken a significant step towards acquiring eight multi-role F-16 Block 70 aircraft and associated support by ratifying Amendment No. 2 to the Letter of Agreement (LOA) BU-D-SAB.
Sofia Airport's Terminal 3 Construction Set to Begin in Early 2026
COVID-19 Impact: Bulgaria's Grim Milestone as Highest Death Rate in EU