The last unit of the Georgian Defense Forces has left the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
Georgian Defense Force servicemen have completed 17 years of service in strengthening global security in one of the hottest spots in the world.
According to the Ministry of Defense, the last batch of the 32nd Light Infantry Battalion of the 3rd Infantry Brigade, led by the unit commander, Lieutenant Colonel Tariel Makharashvili, has returned to the homeland. Along with the personnel, the senior military delegation also arrived in Georgia. The Deputy Commander of the Georgian Defense Forces, Brigadier General Joni Tatunashvili, the Commander of the West, Brigadier General Koba Grigolia, and representatives of the Western Command met the servicemen at the Tbilisi International Airport.
The 32nd Battalion has been conducting a NATO-led "Strong Support Mission" in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan for six months under US command, with the main task of securing the base.
The Georgian Defense Forces joined the ongoing NATO International Mission in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in August 2004. Since January 1, 2015, the NATO International Mission in Afghanistan has changed its name and continued in the Strong Support Mission (RSM) format, in which the Georgian military has also been actively involved. Georgia has become the largest contributor among non-Alliance countries and in terms of the number of military personnel per mission per capita.
Since 2004, more than 20,000 Georgian servicemen have participated in international missions in Afghanistan as part of 107 rotations at various levels (ISAF, RSM). Thirty-two servicemen were killed in the fight against international terrorism.
