IRAQ: PHILIPPINES WITHDRAWS ELEVEN SOLDIERS TO MEET DEMANDS OF KIDNAPPERS HOLDING A FILIPINO TRUCK DRIVER HOSTAGE
Record ID:
647675
IRAQ: PHILIPPINES WITHDRAWS ELEVEN SOLDIERS TO MEET DEMANDS OF KIDNAPPERS HOLDING A FILIPINO TRUCK DRIVER HOSTAGE
- Title: IRAQ: PHILIPPINES WITHDRAWS ELEVEN SOLDIERS TO MEET DEMANDS OF KIDNAPPERS HOLDING A FILIPINO TRUCK DRIVER HOSTAGE
- Date: 18th July 2004
- Summary: (W1)HILLA, BABYLON, IRAQ (JULY 17, 2004)(REUTERS) 1. VEHICLES LEAVING PHILIPPINE TROOPS CAMP 2. FILIPINO SOLDIERS STANDING GUARDS OUTSIDE CAMP; LV CAMP WITH PHILIPPINE SOLDIERS AT GATE 0.48 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 2nd August 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: HILLA, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Reuters ID: LVAAR8LWZMT7CJCGF8LLGJWEPA8S
- Story Text: The Philippines withdrew 11 soldiers from Iraq on
Friday to meet the demands of kidnappers holding a truck
driver hostage.
Four cars were seen leaving the Philippines camp in
the city of Hilla, 100 km south of the capital Baghdad
early on Saturday (July 17, 2004) heading for Kuwait.
The cars are believed to carry part of the 11 members
of the Philippine humanitarian contingent members scheduled
to leave for Kuwait.
According to officials at the Philippines embassy in
Kuwait, the first unit of Philippine troops withdrawing
from Iraq arrived in Kuwait overnight and began preparing
on Saturday to leave for Manila, bowing to the demands of
militants holding Filipino hostage Angelo de la Cruz.
They said that 11 members of the humanitarian
contingent arrived around midnight at Camp Doha northwest
of Kuwait City, the largest camp for U.S.-led forces in the
Gulf Arab state.
"A sandstorm delayed their trip," the Philippines
Ambassador Bayani Mangibin told Reuters. "Now they are
rushing to go back home. We're trying to get all the
bookings done."
In Manila, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia
Albert said on Friday the 11 soldiers, including the head
of the 51-member humanitarian contingent Brigadier General
Jovito Palparan, would leave Iraq to save the life of De la
Cruz.
"We continue with our efforts to win Angelo's freedom,"
Albert said in a statement distributed by the Philippine
embassy in Kuwait late on Friday (July 16).
Mangibin said the 11-member unit was preparing to leave
for Manila aboard a commercial flight.
The remaining troops would leave Iraq soon, he said,
adding: "but definitely not today, they are still making
preparations."
Mangibin said Friday the troops "feel proud that they
are going to leave Iraq with a sense of accomplishment."
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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