Slovakia's defense ministry

Slovakia's defense ministry said the government has approved a plan to send 25 soldiers to Iraq to help train Iraqi security forces as part of a NATO mission, ABC News reported.

The ministry said the Slovak service members will focus on demining and also supporting the local military in the repairs of the Soviet-made weapons.

The group is expected to leave Slovakia by Oct. 30 and will have a mandate to stay in Iraq for a year. The mission still needs to be approved by the country's Parliament where the coalition government of Prime Minister Robert Fico has a comfortable majority.

The defense ministry said on Wednesday the Slovak soldiers will not engage in combat.

Source: MENA