The European Union (EU) peace keeping force will pull out its last batch of troops from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Dec. 26, a spokesman for the EU mission said here on Friday.

Hans Haegdorens said that the batch of troops include 250 French soldiers and seven Belgian officers, who are in charge of the supervision of the whole process of withdrawal.

The spokesman declared that the EU's peace keeping mission in the conflict-ridden country was successful, adding that the troops there effectively guaranteed a peaceful democratic election, and are proud of their work there.

Haegdorens also said that the EU troops will transfer the Ndolo military airport near Kinshasa to the DRC forces at the time of leaving, and provide a sum of money to the DRC side to upgrade the roads around the airport.

The European Union will continue to offer aid to the DRC to help the country's reconstruction, he added.

More than 1,400 EU troops were sent to the DRC to ensure the first democratic election on July 30, after 46 years of the independence of the DRC.

During the elections, incumbent President Joseph Kabila won a presidential run-off on Oct. 29, defeating Vice President Jean-Pierre Bemba.

At present, a 17,000-strong UN peacekeeping mission is still stationed in the country.

(Xinhua News Agency December 23, 2006)