Germany completes withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan

Defence Redefined

30/06/2021

Germany has completed the withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan, which commenced in May, the German Ministry of Defence announced on Tuesday, while the US military is expected to complete its own withdrawal by September 11 at the latest.

“After an almost 20-year deployment, the last Bundeswehr soldiers (…) left Afghanistan tonight (yesterday, Tuesday). They are now on the way back,” explained German Defence Minister Annegret Krab-Karenbauer, referring to “the end of a historic chapter” during which the Bundeswehr “proved how combatant it was.”

In the Minister’s words, it was a mission during which “members of our armed forces were wounded in their bodies and souls,” “people lost their lives,” “we were forced to mourn the fallen”.

During the deployment of the German army in Afghanistan in 2001, 59 members of the German armed forces were killed – 35 of them in battle or enemy attacks – according to official figures. This was the first time that the German army was involved in an armed conflict after World War II.

The last German soldiers were transported by four transport planes at the Marmal mission camp in Mazar-i-Sharif. These were two German A400Ms and two American C17s. They were also boarded by members of the German Special Forces who had been sent to the country to ensure the safety of the departing military. They are all expected in Germany today.

By the time the withdrawal commenced in May, the German mission in Afghanistan had maintained some 1,100 troops operating within the borders of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and Resolute Support.

The German armed forces greatly accelerated the process, following the example of the United States, which was ordered by US President Joe Biden to leave the Asian country after twenty years. The United States – which numbers most troops – originally planned to withdraw before 9/11, the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in New York and the Pentagon.

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Source: CNA