US marks end of mission in Bosnia

By Nick Hawton BBC News, Sarajevo

US General B B Bell said the ceremony marked 'mission accomplished'

The United States peacekeeping mission in Bosnia has come to an end, after serving as part of the Nato force since the end of the Bosnian war in 1995.

Next week, Nato's mission will also come to an end, to be replaced by a new European Union military force.

The US troops said goodbye in a low key ceremony at the US Eagle base near the Bosnian town of Tuzla.

The commander of the US army in Europe, Gen B B Bell, said it marked "mission complete and mission accomplished".

Control of the base, which has its own airport, was handed over to Finnish troops who will continue the peacekeeping role.

In all, 100,000 US soldiers have served in Bosnia since 1995, providing the backbone to a Nato force trying to keep the peace between the country's Muslims, Serbs and Croats.

The Nato peacekeeping mission itself, which has involved more than 40 countries, will come to an end on 2 December.

Eufor, the EU military mission that will replace it, will have the same role and have the same number of troops - around 7,000.

A couple of hundred US troops will remain in Bosnia at a Nato headquarters. They will be involved among other things in tracking down war criminals.