Singapore Minister for Defense Teo Chee Hean sent off 192 Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) personnel on Monday, who will be deployed to the Middle East area to provide logistics support for the Iraqi reconstruction.

The city-state announced last Wednesday that it would be sending a C-130 transport aircraft and a Landing Ship Tank (LST) to Iraq to provide logistics support for the country's reconstruction.

The LST and C-130 deployment is "a further contribution from Singapore for the reconstruction of Iraq," said Defense Minister Teo at the send-off ceremony on Monday.

Earlier this year, Singapore sent a police force training contingent of 32 personnel to train Iraqi police.

The LST and C-130 contingents are expected to begin their missions in the next few weeks, said the Defense Ministry in a news release published on Monday.

(Xinhua News Agency October 28, 2003)