11 August 2008 - 18H30

Airlift of Georgian troops from Iraq near complete: Pentagon

The US military is expected to complete the airlift of 2,000 Georgian troops from Iraq to their home country Monday, a Pentagon spokesman said as Russian forces pushed deeper into Georgia.

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman denied an accusation by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin that the Georgian troops were flown directly into the combat zone, but would not say where they were taken.

"Largely the entire redeployment should be completed today," Whitman told reporters, adding that military flights carrying the troops began over the weekend.

He said "reports suggesting they are being flown directly into the fight are wrong."

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates spoke twice over the weekend with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili to discuss the troop flights, Whitman said.

Gates also spoke with the Russian defense minister over the weekend, but the spokesman would not say what they discussed.

His comments came as Georgian officials said Russian forces were occupying the city of Gori after Georgian forces had been ordered to withdraw from the city.

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