100 Georgian soldiers return home after 6 months in Afghanistan

One hundred Georgians soldiers have returned home after serving six months in Afghanistan in a NATO-led peacekeeping mission.

Emotions were high at Alekseevka Military base in Tbilisi today as the first group of soldiers from the 43 Batallion of the IV Mechanised Brigade of the Georgian Armed Forces were greeted by their family members and Defence Ministry officials.

Georgian soldiers were greeted by family and friends today. Photo by Ministry of Defence. 

Earlier this week the soldiers were officially relieved of their duties by the next rotation of Georgian soldiers, who pledged to continue the peacekeeping duties at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul.

The 43rd Battalion was the second unit after the 51st Battalion involved in the NATO Resolute Support mission, which started on January 1, 2015. The mission was a follow-on task from the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission.

Georgia’s Defence Minister Tinatin Khidasheli said today and tomorrow would be "very emotional days” while the remaining soldiers of the Battalion travelled home from Afghanistan.

We are still waiting for several flights. Tomorrow the Commander will arrive home. I want to thank the guys and their families. I want to also thank the soldiers who have just left for Afghanistan and will stay there for next six months,” she said.

Georgia’s Defence Minister Tinatin Khidasheli and other Defence Ministry officials met the returned soldiers. Photo by Ministry of Defence. 

I am sorry that we recently lost one of our soldiers but this is war and it has fatal consequences. … I am sure that the price we pay in Afghanistan will be a guarantee of our country’s future security,” Khidasheli said. 

The 43rd Battalion was based at the Bagram Air Base and carried out a wide range of tasks, including protecting the base and nearby area.

The outgoing soldiers from the 43rd Batallion of the IV Mechanised Brigade were replaced in Afghanistan by the 22nd Batallion of the II Infantry Brigade.

Head of General Staff of Georgia Vakhtang Kapanadze addressed Georgian soldiers and thanked them for their merit. Photo by Ministry of Defence. 

Georgia is the largest non-NATO contributor to the Resolute Support mission with 885 troops. The aim of the mission was to provide further training, advice and assistance for the Afghan security forces and institutions after the completion of the ISAF mission, to which Georgia contributed about 750 soldiers.