KYIV. Oct 3 (Interfax-AVN) - The Ukrainian peacekeeping contingent has completed training of the first team of Iraqi fighters who will constitute a territorial defense detachment of the Wasit province, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry press service said on Friday.
"The first team of fighters for the Wasit province's territorial defense detachment graduated from a training course at facilities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' 5th detached mechanized brigade which forms part of Multinational Division Center-South," a press service official told Interfax-Military News Agency.
During a week, 104 Iraqis studied a special program under guidance of Ukrainian and U.S. instructors. Upon completing it, they took credits and performed practical live firing exercises.
From now on, they will guard important facilities and patrol localities in Wasit together with Ukrainian peacekeepers.
According to the official, another 120 Iraqis started training on Monday. Ukrainian and U.S. inspectors are expected to have trained a total of 800 fighters for the territorial defense detachment before the beginning of 2004.