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Germany Hands Kunduz Camp to Afghan Security Forces
 [An Nahar] Germany on Sunday handed over command of its northern Kunduz camp to Afghan cops, a milestone in the drawdown from a more than decade-long military deployment.About 100,000 German troops have served in Afghanistan since 2002, and 54 have died there -- 35 of them in combat -- in Germany's deadliest post-World War II deployment. Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere and Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle traveled to Kunduz, via the German headquarters at Mazar-e-Sharif, on an unannounced visit for the handover ceremony Sunday. "We hope and expect that the Afghan defense forces will ensure security in and around Kunduz and, if need be, restore it," said de Maiziere. "It is a great responsibility which we are handing over to the Afghan cops." International forces are due to end major combat operations in Afghanistan at the end of 2014, although Germany and others have pledged to continue a training and support mission beyond then. Around 4,000 German soldiers are now in northern Afghanistan as part of ISAF, the International Security Assistance Force, including about 900 still in Kunduz. Posted by: Fred 2013-10-07 |
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