"We suspended the training program because the focus of the US military has been shifted on the operations of the coalition forces in Iraq," Major Robert Stern, spokesman for the US Training Task Force told AFP.

"We are turning our focus on the integration of the second group of trainees in ongoing operations in Iraq," said Stern.

A statement from US officials said the volunteers were already making an invaluable contribution to the US-led war on Iraq, launched on March 20 aimed at toppling Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

"Their knowledge of local areas inside Iraq, language skills and the training they received ... in supporting humanitarian operations make them invaluable contributors to coalition efforts," Major General David Barno, the commander of the task force, said in the statement.

"There is no question in my mind that their presence will save lives," he added.

The first group of Iraqi opposition volunteers who departed for the Gulf about a month ago "are already working with US units to coordinate the delivery of humanitarian aid" at the southern port of Umm Qasr, he said.

Two groups of trainees have completed a month-long training programme in the southern Taszar base in Hungary, and the second group also recently flew out to the Gulf, Stern said.

Both groups consisted of "a couple dozen" people, according to Hungarian military sources.

"Free Iraqi Forces are also providing mission planning and interpreter assistance to aid displaced persons and deliver critical humanitarian relief stocks for Iraqi citizens in need," Barno added in his statement.

"US Army civil affairs units currently operating in southern Iraq have been extremely pleased with the contributions made by the Iraqi volunteers already deployed," Barno said.

"As country experts on Iraq, the volunteers will help ensure that such supplies as blankets, water containers, shelter equipment, and essential medicines are effectively moved and distributed to locations within Iraq where populations are in need of assistance."

"These highly committed and trained volunteers will be a major force multiplier for our coalition civil affairs units in Southwest Asia," said Barno.

Stern could not say whether Washington planned to resume the training project at a later phase.

"Right now I could only tell you that our portion of the training has been successfully completed. We trained every volunteer that has arrived in Hungary," he said.

US trainers and support personnel in Hungary "are preparing to redeploy to our home bases in stages over the next few weeks," he added.

Hungary gave the US the green light to train up to 3,000 Iraqi volunteers until the end of December in civil-military liaison tasks to help in the reconstruction of Iraq.

SPACE.WIRE