Ejército de Tierra

The humanitarian aid that the Government offered the Iraqi population began on 20th March with the shipment of material from the military base in Rota (Cádiz) aboard the Navy ships the "Marqués de la Ensenada" -an oil tanker-, the "Reina Sofia" -a frigate- and the "Galicia" -an amphibious assault ship-, which acted as a field hospital for Iraqi citizens while docked at the Um Qsar port. Rear Admiral Juan Antonio Moreno Susanna was in command of the ships, which carried 900 Navy and Army forces.

On 9th April the amphibious assault ship "Galicia" arrived at the Um Qsar port and acted as a field hospital managed by the Army Advance Medical Echelon. Among others, its functions in the area focused on the distribution of humanitarian aid such as food and medicines to the Iraqi people.

On the 27th April the Government approved the remodelling of the force sent to Iraq, so that the number of forces initially set was raised to 1,300. 

As a consequence of this decision, the three ships returned to Spain.

The last of these to return was the amphibious assault ship "Galicia", which returned to the port of Rota on 15th July after a 72 day humanitarian mission.