The Cuban armored brigade that had been stationed in Syria since the end of the 1973 Yom Kippur War returned to Cuba a few weeks ago, it was revealed here last night. The only foreign troops now in Syria are members of an infantry brigade from Saudi Arabia.
The Cuban brigade was sent to Syria to man the new Russian T-62 tanks that the Syrians were getting from the Soviet Union after the war. Syria did not have any crews for the tanks because of the loss of hundreds of tank crews during the war.
In addition to helping the Syrians. The Cuban government wanted its soldiers to gain some combat experience. The Cubans took part in clashes against the Israelis on the Golan Heights during the war of attrition that Syria waged from January to June 1974. Cuban troops have been reported fighting recently with the Soviet-backed Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola in that African country.
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