30 Sep 2005

More Fiji soldiers heading for Iraq

10:18 am on 30 September 2005

The Fiji government has agreed to send another 110 soldiers to Iraq for deployment under the United Nations Assistance Mission.

The decision follows an offer by the United Nations to provide suitable equipment for the soldiers.

This will include personal protective clothing such as flak jackets and night vision equipment.

The deployment was earlier put on hold because of the lack of equipment in Fiji.

A government statement says one contingent of soldiers will leave for Arbil and another for Basra in November.

They will do familiarisation training in Iraq before taking up their UN duties, but pre-deployment training in Fiji begins on Monday.