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Salvadoran soldiers on their way to Iraq

Yuri Cortez/AFP/Getty Images

A Salvadorean soldier of the Cuscatlan Batallion waits to board a plane to Iraq.

Comalapa, El Salvador / AFP
08/12/05

El Salvador deployed a fifth contingent of soldiers to Iraq this Thursday, to maintain its military presence in the U.S. Lead coalition that is occupying the Arab nation.

The Central American nation is the only Latin American country with troops still in Iraq. The first contingent went on August 2003.

Artillery colonel Ruben Oswaldo Rubio head the 380 troops of the Cuscatlan Battalion. This contingent has been deployed to Iraq to relieve a previous group stationed 100 km (60 miles) south of Baghdad.

"We are going with a high morale, we know that our work is of a humanitarian nature and is a significant contribution from the Army and El Salvador as a country to a nation in such need as Iraq,” said Rubio.

The soldiers were not allowed to talk to the press and they limited themselves to their battle slogan “Cuscatlán” and to say bye with their hands, but others broke the formation and kneeled to kiss the homeland's soil.

On Tuesday, Douglas Barclay, US ambassador to El Salvador, praised this country's contribution of troops.

"The United States supports the deployment of the 5th contingent and so does the coalition in Iraq, because it shows the commitment of El Salvador to world peace and the combat against terrorism," said the ambassador. Although their mission is basically peaceful, Salvadorans have found themselves in the midst of combat situations. So far, two Salvadoran soldiers have died and 12 others have been wounded during attacks by Iraqi insurgents and in an accident.