10th HRVCON Returns from UNDOF

The airplane with all 97 members aboard arrived at the Pleso Airport in the early evening hours, following the decision by the government on rapid withdrawal of the Croatian Armed Forces members from the mission in the Golan Heights.

The Contingent was received by the Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces, Lt. Gen. Drago Lovrić, the Chief of Staff of the Army, Brig. Gen. Mladen Fuzul, the Commander of the Support Command, Maj. Gen. Mate Ostović and the Deputy Chief of the General Staff for Operations, Brig. Gen. Mate Pađen.

Welcoming the members of the Contingent back home, Lt.Gen. Drago Lovrić told them: „The decision on withdrawal of the Contingent was brought on the grounds of security, upon the appraisal of the possible effect of war situation in Syria on your safety, as safety of the members of the Croatian Armed Forces is the principal  criterion for decisions to enter or withdraw from a peace support operation“.
Lt. Gen. Lovrić also reminded that the 6-day withdrawal and re-deployment operation was conducted in 4 phases, managed by the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces.
„Your safe and organised re-deployment is another proof of the organised and trained Armed Forces, capable of fulfilling any task assigned to them“, concluded Lt. Gen. Lovrić.

The 10th HRVCON handover was completed on Sunday 17 March, with hauling of the Croatian flag down in the Camp to mark the end of the Croatian Armed Forces deployment in the Golan Heights. During the handover ceremony, the members of the Contingent were presented with the UN medals for successful participation in the UNDOF Mission.

The Commander of the 10th Contingent to the UNDOF, Maj. Mile Vukičević in his address extended his appreciation to Contingent members for the displayed effort and courage. Our main objective has been to re-deploy the Contingent safely home in its entirety. „It has been a great honour serving in the UNDOF mission in Golan and representing our flag with you and I would choose to go with you again, if need be“, said Maj. Vukičević.

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