Germany completes troop pullout from Afghanistan, US mulls keeping 1,000

Germany says it has completed its troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, while the United States is reportedly seeking to keep up to 1,000 soldiers in the country after its formal withdrawal.

Germany, which had the second-largest contingent of troops in Afghanistan after the US, said the last of the troops were airlifted out of their base at Mazar-i-Sharif in northern Afghanistan on Tuesday.

“After nearly 20 years of deployment, the last soldiers of our Bundeswehr have left Afghanistan this evening,” said Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer.

“They are on the way back,” she said.

According to the army, 59 German soldiers were killed in Afghanistan since 2001.

Before the pullout began, Germany had 1,100 soldiers operating in Afghanistan. Among other NATO members, Britain, Italy, and Turkey also have a significant military presence in Afghanistan.

The US military, meanwhile, appears on track to complete its formal withdrawal ahead of the September 11 deadline set by President Joe Biden, according to US officials.

The officials, however, told Reuters on the condition of anonymity on Tuesday that around 650 troops would remain in Afghanistan. But citing a senior US official, CNN put the number of the troops that could remain at 1,000. The official said as many as 1,000 American troops could remain in the country to purportedly assist in securing the US Embassy in Kabul and the city’s airport.

Washington has called for NATO to protect Kabul airport for an undetermined period.

ME