German Mission To Afghanistan Extended

The BBC reports that German troops will remain in Afghanistan for another year. In addition, contingent of Dutch personnel will be involved in police training.

The German parliament has voted to extend the military mission in Afghanistan by one year despite polls suggesting its unpopularity at home.

Germany currently has 4,860 service personnel deployed in Afghanistan as part of the international peacekeeping force Isaf.

Extending the mandate to 31 January 2012, parliament set the maximum troop number at 5,350.

Meanwhile, Dutch MPs approved a police training mission for Afghanistan.

Germany's mission extension was passed by a large majority in the Bundestag in Berlin - 420 votes in favour, 116 against and 23 abstentions.

[snip...]

Germany is the third-biggest troop contributor to Isaf after the US and UK.

Opinion polls suggest the deployment, which has seen the deaths of 45 German soldiers since 2002, is deeply unpopular with the German public.

In The Hague, the Dutch parliament approved a 545-strong police training force for Afghanistan, after the minority Liberal-Christian Democrat government won backing from three small opposition parties.

By: Shelldrake