27 members of Czech chemical unit in Kuwait to return to the Czech Republic

A total of 27 members of the Czech anti-chemical and nuclear warfare unit who are deployed in Kuwait as part of the 'Enduring Freedom' operation along side the United States have asked their superiors to return home early.

27 members of Czech chemical unit in Kuwait to return to the Czech Republic

Czech chemical unit in Kuwait, photo: CTK

Defence minister Jaroslav Tvrdik, who was in Kuwait earlier in the week, announced that 27 soldiers, or one tenth of the unit, would return to the Czech Republic. The defence minister brought the first seven soldiers, on their own request, back to Prague on Tuesday. The soldiers however did not return home unharmed, their vehicle crashed with a civilian vehicle on the way to the airport. Several soldiers were hurt, none seriously. The defence minister offered the 27 soldiers early leave because a number of psychological problems the soldiers were facing and said that anyone who was under similar circumstances could leave by the end of January. The unit should be at full strength by the end of January which will include an additional 100 chemists, doctors, and other specialists which was a request made by the Unites States. Furthermore, the unit may take part in possible operations against Iraq. The Czech government has stated that this is ONLY possible if there is a United Nations mandate allowing the use of force. Defence minister Tvrdik has stated that the unit would probably stay in Kuwait till the end of June.

The work of the Czech anti-chemical, biological and nuclear unit was praised U.S. ambassador to Kuwait Richard Johnson. He said that the Czech soldiers were at a high expert level and that Americans counted on them.

Over the past months some soldiers have been complaining about a number of psychological problems connected with their mission. Radio Prague spoke to the unit's psychologist Ludek Lavicka who is currently stationed in Kuwait.

"We are in our 5th month in operation 'Enduring Freedom'. We are fulfilling special professional duties under the mandate we were given and of course the situation that is developing around us, plus climate conditions were are in, compounded by certain psychological pressures from being separated from our families have an influence on the soldiers. Our soldiers are intensively aware of everything that is going on at home, which they are missing, everything that is going on with their families, compared to everything that is going on here in Kuwait."

The soldiers spend their time in Kuwait practising the liquidation of the consequences of chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons. They rehearse decontamination of open space, persons, and vehicles; erecting tents, organising sentry patrols, and establishing communications.

"We are not talking about a crisis situation, what is at stake is simply the fact that we have been here since September last year, under conditions of heightened pressure. It follows that each of us has a different level of tolerance regarding how long they can be separated from home. For some people these effects will hit them sooner, some people it takes longer. So somehow we have to balance this out. I want to say that there is not a crisis. Our soldiers are perfectly prepared in terms of defense to fulfill their mission. They are prepared for psychological pressure exerted on them here in Kuwait, where conditions are very difficult."

The Czech unit in Kuwait currently has 250 members and is stationed at the American base 'Camp Dauha' only 100 kilometres from the Iraqi border.