German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has suggested that Berlin’s military deployment in Afghanistan should be extended beyond its expiration in March, Germany’s dpaInternational reported.
Heiko Maas, German Foreign Minister demanded an extension of military deployment in Afghanistan, DPA International news agency reported.
Funke Media Group quoted Maas that Intra-Afghan talks or peace process will not be completed by then, adding that “therefore, we must be prepared with a parliamentary mandate for various scenarios,” Maas said.
The new US administration under President Joe Biden should make a partnership possible again going forward, DPA quoted Mass.
Mass indicated that there is an agreement that the Germans “want to take this deployment to an end together as coalition partners in a responsible way that does not endanger the peace process,”
DPA reported, that Germany can deploy up to 1,300 additional soldiers as part of its role in NATO’s Resolute Support Mission in the country and that the one deployment cost was estimated at about 427.5 million euros.
This comes as the US-Taliban peace deal during the tenure of former President Trump, prompted full US troops withdrawal by the end of April 2020, and the amount of US military personnel stationed in Afghanistan have reduced to 2,500.
On the other hand, the new administration in the United States is reviewing the deal and some US officials even have indicated that hasty withdrawal will not have a positive outcome and that the troops won’t leave the country based on the deadline.
The Taliban was expected to reduce violence and commit to a ceasefire, despite the release of their prisoners and peace efforts war in the country escalated and the violence of one human killing another raged across the country.
