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The welcoming of the National Armed Forces Detached in the Bosnia-Herzegovina Theatre of Operations is earmarked by a military ceremony with the presence of the President of the Republic and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

This ceremony marks the termination of the longest peace mission in which the Portuguese Armed Forces took part until the moment they returned to national territory, after the accomplishment of the mission in that Country, throughout nearly 15 years.

Since the beginning of the nineties, in an endeavour to intervene in the reestablishment of peace and creating conditions of stability for the rebuilding of Bosnia-Herzegovina, the International Community launched, under the auspices of the United Nations, a number of military missions, led by the United Nations Organization itself, by the Atlantic Alliance and by the European Community.

Portugal took part in these missions from the very beginning, detaching military observers and, later, several national military units, corresponding to an effort of more than 11.000 members of the Armed and of the Security Forces, operating in that territory, in the Balkan airspace or in the Adriatic Sea.

Currently under the responsibility of the United Nations, the international military mission is preparing for a transition to a police mission, thus determining the return of the Armed Forces to Portugal and, consequently, its last National Force Detached in that Country – the 1st Battalion of the Army Battle Brigade.