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German cabinet okays extension of military presence in Afghanistan

Wednesday, 24 February 2021 3:31 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 24 February 2021 3:43 PM ]

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, talks to Health Minister Jens Spahn as they arrive to the weekly cabinet meeting at the Chancellery in Berlin, February 24, 2021. (Photo by AFP)

The German government has agreed to extend its military mission in Afghanistan until 2022.

If the Wednesday decision is approved by the lower house of parliament, the current Afghanistan mandate, which is due to expire at the end of March, will be extended until January 31, 2022.

Several groups in the parliament, not least the liberal FDP and the far-left Die Linke, recently urged a strategy of disengagement after 20 years of military presence in Afghanistan.

Germany has about 1,100 soldiers deployed to northern Afghanistan as part of NATO's mission, the second largest contingent after the United States.

The new mandate will cover the months after the September general election necessary to form a new German government.

A new decision on the German military presence will be taken by the new lawmakers.

NATO deployed forces to Afghanistan following the 2001 US-led invasion, which extended insecurity in Afghanistan.

The United States, under former President Donald Trump, reached an agreement with the Taliban in Qatar in February 2020, under which the US and its NATO allies are expected to withdraw all troops in 14 months.

The administration of President Joe Biden, however, has said it would not commit to a full withdrawal by May.

NATO has also said it will not pull its forces out of Afghanistan “before the time is right,” alleging that “conditions have not been met” by the Taliban.