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Philippines troops out of iraq Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/07/19/iraq.philippines/ http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/07/19/iraq.philippines/ Philippines troops out of Iraq MANILA, Philippines (CNN) -- The last Philippine peacekeeping troops are reported to have left Iraq, meeting a demand by militants holding a Filipino hostage but defying opposition from its allies. But there was no word on kidnapped truck driver Angelo de la Cruz, last seen in a video shown by Arabic language TV channel Al-Jazeera on Thursday in which he said he would be coming home. The last members of a 51-strong Philippine contingent drove over the border into Kuwait in a three-car convoy at 4:55 p.m. (1255 GMT) on Monday, Lt. Col. Hashem Abdullah, an Iraqi police official in the border city of Safwan, told The Associated Press. Earlier in the day the peacekeepers left their camp in Hillah, 100 kilometers (60 miles) south of Baghdad, on Monday morning. The troops had paid an "exit call" on the Polish commander at the base to hand over their duties before returning to the Philippines via Kuwait. The Philippines recalled the head of its forces in Iraq, Brig. Gen. Jovito Talparan, on Friday, along with 10 other personnel. De la Cruz, a 46-year-old father-of-eight, was abducted earlier this month. Kidnappers had threatened to behead him if the Philippines did not withdraw its forces from Iraq. The troops, making up what the Philippines government said was strictly a humanitarian contingent, had been scheduled to leave Iraq by August 20. The Arabic-language news network Al-Jazeera read a statement from the kidnappers on Thursday, saying they would free de la Cruz when "the last Filipino leaves Iraq on a date that doesn't go beyond the end of this month." At a press conference Thursday, interim Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi said he had spoken to Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and urged her to "reconsider" withdrawing forces because "we cannot give up to terrorism." U.S. officials have also expressed dismay at the decision, saying it sent the wrong signal to terrorists. CNN's Maria Ressa contributed to this report.

berg-beheading Hassoun jill_carroll johnson-beheading 3 kidnapped in kabul { October 29 2004 } 6 egyptians 2 iraqis kidnapped in iraq { September 24 2004 } Afghan militants threaten united nations hostages { November 1 2004 } Aid worker hassan believed slain in video Alqaeda says kills egypt envoy in iraq Alqaeda website shows egyptian diplomat kidnapped { July 6 2005 } Brits rescue peace activists held hostage in iraq Egyptian diplomat kidnapped in iraq { July 23 2004 } Egyptians and iraqis kidnapped { September 25 2004 } Filipino hostage released in iraq after pullout { July 20 2004 } Freed egyptian says treated well by iraqi captors French journalist freed in iraq after 5 months Hostage begs britain to pull its troops out { October 23 2004 } Imprisoned women not freed as tensions grow Iraqi militants free two hostages Italian journalist held hostage pleads for life { February 16 2005 } Italy horror at hostage execution Japanese hostages freed { April 15 2004 } Japanese south koreans kidnapped by iraqis { April 8 2004 } Japanese studying depleted uranium taken hostage { April 12 2004 } Jeffrey ake from indiana pleads for his life { April 14 2005 } Kidnapped aid workers in afghanistan released Kidnapped polish woman freed Kidnappers snatch 2 americans 1 briton from homes Marine in kidnap video charged with desertion { December 10 2004 } Militants release video of japanese hostage { October 27 2004 } Peace group kidnapped in iraq { October 2005 } Philippines troops out of iraq Ransom from italians seen as fueling crisis { September 29 2004 } Second hostage killed in iraq Six foreign truck drivers threatened with beheading Tape of bigley decapitation posted on web Third beheading was south korean who spoke arabic Three headless bodies discovered north of baghdad Three iraqi kurd hostages beheaded Three members of allawi family abducted { November 10 2004 } Video of 11 iraqi soliders executed posted on web Video on web site shows beheading of man Files Listed: 38

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