France is withdrawing its military contingent from the aviation base of the coalition forces in Kirghizia

Before October, this year, the soldiers and officers of the French Air Force, who are part of the anti-terrorist coalition deployed in the international airport Manas in the Kirghiz capital, will leave the territory of that republic.

Commander of the French aviation unit in Kirghizia and deputy commander of the coalition forces Colonel Jean Marc Laurent stated this in Bishkek on Wednesday.

According to him, the strength of the coalition forces in Kirghizia will not become smaller after that. It is planned that the place of the French military contingent, now consisting of 400 men, to be withdrawn by October, will be occupied by soldiers and officers from Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway.

The six Mirage-2000 fighters of the French Air Force, deployed in Manas, will be replaced by the F-16 fighters of the Danish, Dutch and Norwegian Air Forces.

According to the data of RIA Novosti, the first servicemen of the countries of the anti-terrorist coalition arrived in Kirghizia on December 16, last year.

From the very first days of the existence of the base, the French military, deployed in the Manas airport of the Kirghiz capital, have been taking an active part in anti-Taliban operations in the territory of Afghanistan. At the present time, about 2,000 soldiers and officers from eight countries are deployed in the Manas aviation base.