28 Dec, 2023 @ 18:00
1 min read

Pedro Sanchez visits Spanish troops who are part of NATO mission in Iraq

Prime minister Pedro Sanchez visits Spanish troops working for NATO in Iraq
La Moncloa image

PRIME MINISTER Pedro Sanchez visited Spanish troops working in Iraq on Thursday and toured one of their bases.

362 military personnel from Spain are deployed in the Middle Eastern country and are assigned to two missions.

Sanchez was shown around several sections of the Union III base accompanied by General Jose Aguero, who is heading up a NATO mission there.

SANCHEZ MEETS AGUERO(La Moncloa image)

One area the Prime Minister dropped in on was Casa España- a place of work and rest for Spanish troops.

In a speech, Sanchez paid tribute to seven officers from the National Intelligence Centre (CNI) who were killed in Iraq just over 20 years ago.

He said they were ‘vilely murdered’.

The secret service officers died in November 2003 in a terrorist ambush in Latifiya while carrying out a reconnaissance mission travelling in two civilian vehicles that were attacked with grenades and rifles.

Sanchez thanked the Union III personnel on behalf of the government and Spanish society for the work they do to maintain international security and stability.

He added that remained committed to Spain playing its part in trying to keep the world safe.

The Prime Minister acknowledged the sacrifice of armed forces members being away from their families during the Christmas holiday period.

He said that he is confident that 2024 will bring ‘Peace, stability in many parts of the world and, in particular, in areas close to Iraq’.

Alex Trelinski

Alex worked for 30 years for the BBC as a presenter, producer and manager. He covered a variety of areas specialising in sport, news and politics. After moving to the Costa Blanca over a decade ago, he edited a newspaper for 5 years and worked on local radio.

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