Cuscatlán Battalion
| Cuscatlán Battalion | |
|---|---|
| Batallón Cuscatlán | |
 Cuscatlán Battalion IX soldiers at Forward Operating Base Delta on 22 February 2008 | |
| Active | 12 August 2003 – 22 January 2009 |
| Country |  El Salvador |
| Allegiance |  Multi-National Force – Iraq |
| Branch |  Salvadoran Army |
| Type | Ground force |
| Size |
|
| Garrison/HQ | |
| Equipment | See § organization |
| Engagements | Iraq War |
| Commanders | |
| Commander | See § commanders |
The Cuscatlán Battalion (Spanish: Batallón Cuscatlán) was a military unit of the Armed Forces of El Salvador (FAES) that participated in the Iraq War from 2003 to 2009. The Cuscatlán Battalion served under the Polish-led Multinational Division Central-South (MN–DCS) throughout its deployment. From 2003 to 2004, it was also a part of the Spanish-led Plus Ultra Brigade.
During the Cuscatlán Battalion's deployment, it rendered humanitarian aid, assisted in reconstruction projects, conducted demining operations, and protected Multi-National Force – Iraq (MNF–I) convoys. The battalion engaged in a few skirmishes against Iraqi militants during its deployment, suffering 5 deaths and 20 injuries. The Cuscatlán Battalion withdrew from Iraq in 2009 after years of debate in El Salvador over involvement in the Iraq War; the right-wing Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) had supported involvement, while the left-wing Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) opposed it.
Background
[edit]In May 2003, the United Nations Security Council approved Resolution 1483 that allowed the international community to support the United States and United Kingdom in rebuilding Iraq after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq overthrew Saddam Hussein's government. On 11 June 2003, Salvadoran president Francisco Flores Pérez announced that El Salvador would send a contingent of soldiers to assist in rebuilding Iraq.[1]: 1 [2]: 21 The unit was named the Cuscatlán Battalion.[1]: 2
Organization
[edit]
The Cuscatlán Battalion was named after Cuzcatlan, an ancient group of Maya peoples that once lived in El Salvador. The battalion was composed of handpicked Salvadoran Army infantrymen, engineers, combat service support troops, and special forces soldiers.[2]: 1–2 [3] These soldiers helped render humanitarian aid to Iraqis and assisted in reconstruction projects.[4] The Cuscatlán Battalion peaked at 380 soldiers, and a cumulative 5,800 soldiers served in the infantry battalion. The battalion was garrisoned in Najaf at Base El Salvador from 2003 to 2005, in Hillah from 2005 to 2006, and in Kut at Forward Operating Base Delta from 2006 to 2009.[1]: 4 [5]: 57 [6]
Soldiers of the Cuscatlán Battalion were equipped with firearms that included M16A2 rifles; M2, M60, and M249 machine guns; M203 grenade launchers; and Beretta M9 pistols. They also operated Humvees and M35 cargo trucks equipped with M60 machine guns and tools to disarm improvised explosive devices (IEDs).[1]: 8–10
The main force of the Cuscatlán Battalion consisted of three infantry companies that had 80 infantrymen each. The three companies consisted of three infantry platoons and a command group. The battalion also had platoons of engineers, medics, logistics, security, communications, and commandos under three other companies.[1]: 7–9
History
[edit]Deployment
[edit]On 12 August 2003, the Cuscatlán Battalion left El Salvador for Spain where the unit received various types of training before its deployment to Iraq.[1]: 2 [6] After completing their training, the battalion deployed to Iraq on 26 August as a part of the Spanish-led Plus Ultra Brigade along with soldiers from the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Nicaragua.[5]: 111 [7] The Cuscatlán Battalion's 360 soldiers were garrisoned in Najaf and assisted the Polish-led Multinational Division Central-South (MN–DCS) in the Iraqi governorates of Al-Qādisiyyah, Babil, Najaf, and Wasit.[5]: 57 & 99 [6]
In February 2004, Nicaraguan forces withdrew from Iraq due to funding issues, and, by the end of 2004, the remaining members of the Plus Ultra Brigade, except for El Salvador, withdrew from Iraq due to public opposition to involvement in the Iraq War at home. The withdrawal of the Plus Ultra Brigade left the Cuscatlán Battalion as the only remaining Latin American military unit in Iraq.[5]: 17 [4] After the Plus Ultra Brigade withdrew, El Salvador increased the number of soldiers in the Cuscatlán Battalion from 360 to 380.[5]: 57–58
Engagements
[edit]