site.bta140 Bulgarian Servicepersons Take Part in Overseas Missions

140 Bulgarian Servicepersons Take Part in Overseas Missions

Sofia, December 22 (BTA) - A total of 140 Bulgarian servicepersons are taking part in overseas operations and missions. On Thursday, the commanders of the Bulgarian forces in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Mali held an end-of-year video conference with military leaders in Sofia, organized by Bulgaria's Joint Forces Command.

Colonel Andrei Metsov, commander of the Bulgarian contingent in Afghanistan, said the situation in the area of the mission remains tense. One hundred and nine Bulgarian troops are contributing to the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, Metsov said. They are stationed in Kabul and Kandahar.

The security situation in Kosovo is relatively settled, with periodic outbursts of criminal activity and political tension, said Lieutenant Colonel Peter Karadimov, who heads the 10-member Bulgarian unit in the NATO Kosovo Force.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the security situation in the operation area of EU Force Althea remains relatively calm and stable. Recently, there have been no threats against servicepersons, said Captain Georgi Georgiev, the commander of the Bulgarian contingent.

Lieutenant Colonel Hristo Chalukov, who heads the Bulgarian unit in the EU Training Mission in Mali, reported a medium risk level in the south of the country, including the capital Bamako, which is home to the Bulgarian crew of two doctors, two other medical experts and one serviceman. In the northern part of Mali, the risk level remains high or even critical.

Speaking from Sofia, Bulgaria's Chief of Defence, General Konstantin Popov, extended Christmas and New Year greetings to the overseas forces and thanked them for their good training and performance.