Skopje  - Macedonia on Friday marked the end of its participation in the peacekeeping mission in Iraq, welcoming home the troops who served there, Beta news agency reported.

President Branko Crvenkovski, Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and Defence Minister Zoran Konjanovski presented medals during the welcome ceremony. The soldiers received 98 US medals and a letter of gratitude signed by US President George Bush.

A total of 479 Macedonian troops have served in Iraq since 2003. A further 11, mostly officers, already returned home last week.

Two other Balkan states, Albania and Bosnia, announced the withdrawal of troops earlier this week. (dpa)