First Slovak soldiers deployed to Gulf

AP WorldStream via COMTEX ^ | Feb 26, 2003 | AP WorldStream via COMTEX

[grimalkin]

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia, Feb 26, 2003 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- The first part a Slovak anti-chemical warfare unit bound for the Gulf region left Wednesday, the state-run news agency TASR reported. The complete unit of 69 soldiers is due to be assembled in the Gulf by the weekend.

The Slovaks will join up in Kuwait with a similar unit from the neighboring Czech Republic.

The anti-chemical unit will focus on humanitarian and cleanup work in the event that weapons of mass destruction are used in any war with Iraq. The Slovaks' status, however, could be changed to combat if the U.N. Security Council approves a mandate covering such action.

On Tuesday, the defense ministry refused to specify the times and places from which the parts of the unit will depart from Kuwait, citing security reasons.

Slovakia, which is to join NATO in 2004, reacted swiftly to a U.S. request for support. The small country of 5.4 million has also opened up its airspace, roads and railways to the U.S. military.

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I am thinking these guys proabably carry the knowledge that a Red Army unit of the same nature would have. I think much of the "creative" Soviet weaponry was made in Czechoslovakia as well.