DefMin Fifor congratulates 280th Brave Hearts Infantry Battalion returning from Afghanistan

National Defence Minister Mihai Fifor together with Chief of the Romanian Army Staff Nicolae Ciuca on Thursday attended a homecoming ceremony for the 280th Brave Hearts Infantry Battalion returning from Afghanistan.

In his speech delivered in the Union Square of Focsani, Fifor emphasised that the mission, carried out between August 2017 and March 2018 in the Kandahar region, added to the image of the Romanian Armed Forces and Romania externally.

"During your mission in the hard-tried Afghanistan, the Defence Ministry's leadership was always connected to everything that was going on there, trying to be close to you. You've managed to exceed our expectations by carrying out the mission entrusted, with professionalism and devotion. The exemplary way in which you carried out your tasks and performed the missions have added to the image of your battalion, of the Romanian Army and of Romania in general," Fifor told the military and the public attending the ceremony in Focsani.

He said that, through the successful mission, the Romanian soldiers increased the trust of the Afghan population in the international security forces.

"As minister of defence, I am proud of each and every one of you, whenever important people of the world send us messages of praise for the efforts of the Romanian military, brave warriors who joined without reservation the allied nations in an effort to bring peace to the world (...) There are realities that give us hope that the mission that you have just completed will contribute to the general objectives of the North Atlantic Alliance and that the life of the Afghans will be a little better once the soldiers of Focsani have been there," added Fifor.

The over 400 soldiers on mission in Afghanistan between August 2017 and February 2018 performed missions to secure the military base and the coalition force personnel, assisting and advising Afghan armed forces and security forces.

The Romanian soldiers also provided humanitarian assistance in support of the Afghan population, maintained dialogue with local officials and leaders, and acted jointly with the Afghan National Security Forces. AGERPRES (RO - author: Cristian Lupascu, editor: Irina Poenaru; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Adina Panaitescu)