Dispatch of 290 Noncombatant Troops to Iraq

A first batch of noncombatant troops, consisting of 200 engineers and 90 medical staff, out of the total 673 who are expected to go to Iraq, will be sent to the war-torn area on April 30.

The second batch of 300 noncombatant troops is scheduled to be sent there on May 14.

Before the first dispatch, the Ministry of Defense will send an advance party of 20 engineers and medical troops on April 17 to Kuwait where U.S. ground forces are headquartered for prior consultation.

An official with the Defense Ministry said on Sunday, "The date was advanced to respond actively to the U.S. call for the dispatching of troops. The noncombatant troops are likely to operate in Iraq’s southern areas such as Basra and Umm Qasr, two cities in desperate need of help."

Sang-Ho Yun ysh1005@donga.com