According to the Directorate of Public Relations (DPR) of the NA, pre-deployment training was imparted to 170 personnel but only 72 of them will be deployed for the mission till December. [break]
DPR also informed that NA could deploy more army personnel in Iraq if the UN demands additional Nepali soldiers.
This is the second time Nepal Army is deploying its soldiers in Iraq after 1990.
A source at the NA said the soldiers from NA will replace guard contingent from Fiji.
“The UN had initially demanded more NA personnel, but the number was reduced later as it decided to retain some Fijian peacekeepers.”
According to the latest data provided by NA, more than 3,500 NA personnel are currently serving in 36 different missions worldwide in more than 14 countries like Lebanon, Haiti, Syria, Israel, Congo, Ivory Coast and Eritrea, among others.
Nepal Army´s engagement with the UN dates back to 1958 and it is in the sixth largest troop contributor to the UN, according to the data till last year.
Nepal Army personnel were first deployed in Lebanon, Syria and Israel in peace-keeping missions.
Soldiers who serve in peace-keeping operations are paid around US$ 800 per month as allowance after deduction of 22 percent for its welfare fund.
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