▁Ira q ▁increased ▁to ▁ 3 0 0 ▁personnel ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁and ▁to ▁ 8 5 0 ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁and ▁pe aked ▁at ▁ 2 , 3 0 0 ▁soldiers ▁in ▁mid - 2 0 0 8 . ▁The ▁largest ▁cont ing ents ▁deployed ▁were ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁Infantry ▁Brigade ▁( J uly ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁– ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 8 ) ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Infantry ▁Brigade ▁( J anu ary – August ▁ 2 0 0 8 ). ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁participation ▁in ▁Operation ▁Ira qi ▁Fre edom , ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁Georgia ▁also ▁contributed ▁a ▁batt alion ▁of ▁approximately ▁ 5 5 0 ▁troops ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁Nations ▁Ass istance ▁Mission ▁in ▁Ira q , ▁which ▁was ▁station ed ▁in ▁Bag hd ad ▁within ▁the ▁" Green ▁Zone ". ▁▁ ▁At ▁first , ▁the ▁Georg ian ▁troops ▁deployed ▁for ▁Operation ▁Ira qi ▁Fre edom ▁were ▁station ed ▁in ▁Bag hd ad ▁and ▁provided ▁general ▁security ▁measures . ▁Begin ning ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁the ▁Georg ians ▁were ▁deployed ▁along ▁the ▁border ▁with ▁Iran , ▁with ▁their ▁main ▁base ▁at ▁K ut , ▁and ▁task ed ▁to ▁inter dict ▁sm ugg led ▁weapons , ▁goods , ▁and ▁dru gs . ▁The ▁Georg ian ▁units ▁worked ▁primarily ▁within ▁the ▁U . S . ▁area ▁of ▁operations . ▁In ▁total , ▁more ▁than ▁ 6 ,