Georgian solders awarded in Afghanistan

Georgian solders serving in Afghanistan have been honoured for their contribution to the international peacekeeping mission.

Georgian military servicemen participating in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission were awarded with special certificates and coins for carrying out a successful mission at Afghanistan’s Kandahar Air Base.

Their recent mission was to protect the Air Base and eliminate activities from their rivals. This was completed successfully and efficiently, said Commander of the ISAF Joint Command Lieutenant General Joseph Anderson.

He awarded the Georgian servicemen special coins for their contribution to ensuring the base’s security. The ceremony was held at Kandahar Air Base, yesterday.

Meanwhile liaison officer of the Special Mountain Battalion of the Georgian Armed Forces (GAF) Major Imeda Gvinjilia also received a special award for his excellent service. He was presented a certificate at the ceremony for perfect military activities.

The GAF Special Mountain Battalion is expected to fulfil their duties within the ISAF mission in the near future and return to Georgia in a few weeks’ time.

Georgian soldiers have served under the Georgian flag for the past four years on a rotation basis in the ISAF mission. Georgia was the largest non-NATO contributor to this mission.

Twenty-nine Georgian soldiers have died while serving in the ISAF mission. All were killed in action while serving in Afghanistan’s Helmand province. A further 435 Georgian soldiers have been wounded in action, 35 of whom were now amputees, claimed ISAF.