Spanish Soldiers Return From Iraq

The last group of Spanish soldiers who took part in the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq returned home Wednesday from Kuwait, the Defense Ministry said.

The 260 soldiers were part of the Spanish-led contingent stationed in the south-central cities of Najaf and Diwaniya.

Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and Defense Minister Jose Bono will attend a ceremony today marking the end of the Spanish mission. It will be held at Botoa air base near Talavera la Real in southwestern Spain, Zapatero’s office said.

The pullout was completed so quickly because troop rotations in recent weeks brought in logistics specialists rather than new troops for the coalition effort. Thus, the 1,300-member Spanish brigade was depleted swiftly. Eleven Spaniards have died in Iraq since August.

Zapatero had announced Tuesday in parliament that the entire fighting contingent was out of Iraq, leaving 700 to 800 troops working on logistics related to the withdrawal -- not devoted to the occupation.

“The plan is that by May 27 there will be no Spanish personnel on Iraqi territory,” Zapatero told lawmakers during a debate on his decision to withdraw the troops.

Relatives of the soldiers and the commander of the Spanish forces, Gen. Fulgencio Coll, attended the homecoming ceremony at the Talavera la Real military base outside Badajoz, Defense Ministry spokesman Gonzalo de Cea said.

Zapatero announced the pullout April 18, a day after being sworn in as prime minister. His Socialist Workers Party won general elections March 14, defeating the conservative Popular Party of then-Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar.

Aznar endorsed last year’s U.S.-led invasion and ordered the troops deployed to Iraq in August after the United States declared major combat over. Zapatero and most Spaniards opposed the war.