The Commander of the Tonga Defence Services has confirmed that Tonga would withdraw its troops from Iraq before Christmas, Matangi Tonga online reported on Tuesday.
Brigadier Tau'aika' Uta'atu said that Tonga's fourth contingent of 55 soldiers who had been deployed in Iraq since August would be back to Tonga before Christmas.
He said bilateral negotiation was going on between the U.S and the Iraq government on whether the Americans should extend their stay in Iraq beyond December.
Tonga first sent a contingent of 44 soldiers to Iraq in 2004, in response to a request from the U.S. government for assistance.
More than 200 Tongan soldiers have served in Iraq to date.