Global General
Canadian military leaves Bosnia after 19 years
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-03-30 03:07
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BELGRADE - After 19 years on the ground in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Canadian Armed Forces mission officially ended in this Balkan country on Monday.
A farewell ceremony held at NATO base Butmir, near Sarajevo, marked the departure of the last five Canadian officers and non-commissioned officers.
"Our soldiers are now needed in places like Afghanistan," said Canadian Ambassador to Bosnia, Pierre Guimond, according to Croatian news agency HINA.
The first Canadian troops arrived in 1991, as part of the United Nations peacekeeping forces (UNPROFOR). Since that time, an estimated 40,000 Canadian soldiers have served, with 23 dying in Bosnia.
