Philippines forces in Iraq to handover duties
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MANILA, Philippines (CNN) -- Remaining members of the Philippines forces in Iraq will leave the country after handing over their duties to Polish troops Monday morning, according to Philippines Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Albert.
The handover is expected to take place at Camp Charlie in Babel Province, Albert said in the Philippines capital, Manila. Afterward, the Philippines contingent will form a convoy and drive to Kuwait for a commercial airline flight back to the Philippines, she said.
On Friday, the Philippines recalled the head of its forces in Iraq, Brig. Gen. Jovito Talparan, as kidnappers continued to hold a Filipino truck driver, who was captured while working in Iraq.
Angelo de la Cruz, 46, who has eight children, was abducted earlier this month. Kidnappers have threatened to behead him if the Philippines did not withdraw its forces from Iraq.
The troops, making up what the Philippines government says is strictly a humanitarian contingent, originally numbered 51 and had been scheduled to leave Iraq by August 20.
On Wednesday, Albert said in a written statement that some Philippines forces had already left Iraq. Talparan and 10 of his forces arrived Saturday in Kuwait and were to travel to Manila on Sunday.
Thursday, the Arabic-language news network Al-Jazeera read a statement from the kidnappers, saying they will free de la Cruz when "the last Filipino leaves Iraq on a date that doesn't go beyond the end of this month."
At a press conference Thursday, interim Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi said he had spoken to Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and urged her to "reconsider" withdrawing forces because "we cannot give up to terrorism."
U.S. officials have also expressed dismay at the decision, saying it sends the wrong signal to terrorists.
CNN's Maria Ressa contributed to this report.
