DEFENCE Minister Juraj Liška unexpectedly visited Slovak troops in Iraq on January 14, the TASR news agency reported.
Slovak troops in Iraq say they have better equipment than in the past but would welcome good waterproof clothing and better tyres for their Tatrapan armoured cars. The soldiers presented their proposals in the Echo camp, near the town of Diwanija.
Deputy commander of the Slovak troops, Captain Milan Žilinčár says that soldiers often have to operate in the rain, and sometimes have to travel as much as 600 kilometres in open-topped vehicles. The captain added that he believed the problem would be resolved during the next rotation and soldiers will receive Goretex windcheaters.
There are currently 110 Slovak soldiers serving in the camp, the SITA news agency reported. They are divided into two platoons of military engineers and one guard platoon. The main task of Slovak soldiers in Iraq is to clear mines. The Slovak contingent serves in Iraq as part of the multinational division Stred.
