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Merkel arrives in Afghanistan for surprise troop visit
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has arrived in Afghanistan for an unannounced visit to meet Bundeswehr troops. The trip comes at a sensitive time for NATO forces in the country.Chancellor Angela Merkel arrived at the Bundeswehr base in Mazar-e-Sharif on Monday morning for an unannounced visit to German soldiers serving there. The chancellor - in the country to take a closer look at operations - had intended to first visit the restive province of Kunduz, but bad weather stopped her from landing there. Merkel's last visit to Afghanistan was in December 2010, this being her fourth trip to the country. Germany's military is the third-largest contributor in terms of troop numbers to the NATO-led ISAF mission in Afghanistan. Since the German military arrived in the country in 2002, the Bundeswehr has lost 52 troops in opposition attacks mounted against their installations, accidents or combat in the field. Posted by: tipper 2012-03-12 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=340801 |