site.btaDefence Minister, Chief of Defence to Commemorate 20th Anniversary of Kerbala Bombings

The political and military leadership, the Land Forces Command, the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) and servicemembers will honour the memory of those who died in the line of duty during the 2003-2008 operation for Iraq's stabilization and reconstruction, the Defence Ministry reported here Tuesday.

Commemorative ceremonies will be held on December 27 and 28 to mark the 20th anniversary of the Kerbala bombings in Iraq. Five Bulgarian troops were killed by Iraqi suicide bombers who drove a truckload of explosives towards the perimeter wall of Camp India, in the city of Kerbala, on December 27, 2003. 

Four Bulgarian soldiers died on the spot, and one more a day later. Twenty-seven others were injured. The fallen Bulgarian servicemen are Major Georgi Kachorin, Lieutenant Nikolai Saruev and Officer Candidates Ivan Indjov, Anton Petrov and Svilen Kirov.

On December 27 in Karlovo, Minister of Defence Todor Tagarev and Chief of Defence Admiral Emil Eftimov will participate in a military ritual - memorial service at the Monument to the Fallen in the Fight against Global Terrorism. Members of the 61st Mechanised Brigade will pay their homage and lay wreaths of flowers. The ceremony will start at 11.00.

Ceremonies will also be held in Ruse, Pleven and Krumovgrad.