The United States has officially ended its peacekeeping presence in Bosnia-Herzegovina, although some American soldiers will remain in the Balkan country to help hunt down war crimes suspects.
U.S. military officials marked the end of the peacekeeping presence Wednesday, with a ceremony at Eagle Base in the Tuzla area.
Some 700 Americans now serve in the NATO-led Stabilization Force, which has fewer than 10,000 soldiers in Bosnia. NATO troops began peacekeeping in Bosnia after the December 1995 Dayton agreement halted the Bosnian conflict. Most of the American soldiers will leave when NATO hands over peacekeeping duties next week to a European Union Force that will number 7,000.
About 150 American soldiers will remain at Eagle Base to focus on hunting for war crimes suspects like fugitive former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic.
Some information for this report contributed by AP and Reuters.
