44 Bulgarians want out of Iraq

Forty-four Bulgarian soldiers want to quit the mission in Iraq, according to the latest official information.
It was previously reported that only 23 of the soldiers would be recalled. Thirteen expressed willingness to return because they considered the Karbala tasks too risky. Eight others suffered from battle stress, and a physician recommended for them to be discharged.

There are currently almost 500 Bulgarian soldiers in the southern Iraqi city. After a sergeant was recently killed, a series of diplomatic efforts were made to cheer up the soldiers and prevent possible malcontent.

Sofia even proposed a reduced period of rotation for the Bulgarian troops in view of the escalating tension there. It would be a good idea to rotate Bulgarian unit in Iraq every four months, Defence Minister Svinarov said Wednesday.