Asia

Asia

Angela Merkel visits Afghanistan

18 December 2010 13:38 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. German Chancellor Angela Merkel told German troops in northern Afghanistan that their battles with insurgents there are a "new experience for usâ€, Associated Press reported.

Merkel spoke during an unannounced visit to her country’s soldiers in northern Afghanistan, paying tribute to their service in the NATO-led force as parliament prepares to vote on renewing their mandate.

Merkel, her defense minister and the military’s chief of staff arrived early Saturday in Kunduz, where Germany has a base. She later continued to another German base at Mazar-e-Sharif, also in the north.

Merkel thanked troops in Kunduz for their "extremely dangerous" deployment.

Until this year, German officials generally avoided using the word "war" to describe the unpopular mission.

Germany currently has nearly 4,700 troops serving in the International Security Assistance Force. It plans to start gradually withdrawing in late 2011.

Merkel’s visit comes ahead of a parliamentary vote expected in January on renewing authorization for the country’s military mission in Afghanistan.

The current parliamentary mandate allows for a maximum deployment of 5,350 German soldiers. All German deployments abroad require parliamentary approval, typically on a yearly basis, and its renewal is not expected to meet serious opposition.