Over 8000 Bulgarian soldiers have served in the longest mission of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to date – that in Afghanistan.

The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) was in operation from December 2001 until the end of 2014, when it was succeed by its natural continuation the Resolute Support mission.

In contrast to Iraq, where Bulgaria also contributed troops, the country suffered no casualties in Afghanistan.

The first Bulgarian contingent was deployed to Afghanistan in 2002, the last one returned in December 2014.

The last Bulgarian contingent had been deployed to the Taliban cradle of Kandahar, where it guarded the airport.

Although the rocket attacks against the base have decreased, the risk for foreign troops remains, private bTV stations reports.

Over the years 1000 medics treated both troops and the local population in the military hospitals of Kabul, Kandahar and Herat.

Following the end of ISAF, only 110 Bulgarian military advisers and instructors have remained in Afghanistan.

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