A new batch of 120 Albanian soldiers left for Iraq on Thursday, bring the country's total troops in Iraq to 240.

    "Albania feels proud of its peacekeepers and its cooperation with the U.S.," said Prime Minister Sali Berisha at the send-off ceremony for the contingent.

    Albania has already had 120 troops serving under U.S. command at Mosul airport in southern Iraq. The new troops will serve in another part of Iraq, but still under U.S. command.

    Albania has been taking part in EU-led mission in Bosnia, NATO-led mission in Afghanistan and the U.S.-led forces in Iraq.

    The western Balkan country has also sent troops to Chad and the Central African Republic to join the EU peacekeeping mission there.

    Albania, along with Croatia, signed accession protocols with NATO in July after they were invited to join the 26-member alliance at a NATO summit in April.     

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/05/content_9773123.htm