Georgian troops return from Central African mission

A group of Georgian service members returned from their six-month duty within the European Union Training Mission in the Central African Republic today after being relieved by a replacement unit in Bangui.

A platoon of the National Guard of Georgia arrived in Tbilisi and were welcomed back by Georgian Defence Forces and National Guard commanders including Brigadier General Zaza Chkhaidze, Chief of the General Staff of the armed forces.

He was joined at the Tbilisi International Airport by Lieutenant Colonel Danny Pith, the French Defence Attache to Georgia, as the National Guard soldiers arrived in the capital on a nighttime flight.

Troops arrive on a nighttime flight to be welcomed by commanders at the Tbilisi International Airport. Photo: Ministry of Defence of Georgia press office.

Chkhaidze and Pith congratulated the service members on their successful EUTM RCA (known with its French acronym) tour, where they served under the French command in Bangui.

Led by Captain Kakhaber Asatiani, they worked to provide security to a base in the capital city, where they were relieved by another National Guard platoon sent off from Tbilisi last month.

The platoon served a six-month rotational deployment to Bangui before they were relieved by their colleagues from another National Guard unit. Photo: Ministry of Defence of Georgia press office.

Georgian platoons have been taking part in the EU mission since January 2017, taking over from a quick reaction force unit that participated in the EU External Action in the republic in March 2015.

The maiden Georgian contribution in Central African Republic took place starting in 2014, when service members from Georgia joined the EU Military Operation in the state.