Germany prepares way for its troops to stay as tensions rise in Afghanistan

Amidst escalated tensions in Afghanistan, the German government has said that it was preparing to keep its troops in the war-torn nation until next year if needed. As per the law, the foreign deployment of German soldiers requires approval by Bundestag, which is granted annually. The deadline of the previous deployment was set to lapse in March, however, the Angela Merkel administration, on February 24, approved a new draft mandate that enables the German troops to be stationed in Afghanistan till January 31, 2022.

In January 2015, NATO launched the Resolute Support Mission (RSM) to train, advise and assist Afghanistan’s military institutions. Currently, it numbers around 10,000 troops from 36 NATO Allies and partner countries. Out of the total, Germany's troop's number to 1,100, making it the second-largest contributor to the alliance.

Defending the decision, Germany’s Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Heiko Mass, asserted that withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan should be tied to progress in slow-moving peace negotiations between the Kabul government and the Taliban, rather than “slavishly” bound to the May 1 deadline. The Trump administration in February 2020 inked the Afghan Peace deal with the Taliban and Afghanistan administration. As per the terms of the pact, the US has till May 1 to withdraw all its troops from Afghanistan. While the newly appointed Biden administration is currently reviewing the pact, the Taliban has have resisted suggestions of even a brief extension.

Read: Afghan Govt, Taliban To Begin Peace Talks In Doha, Experts Hope For A Lasting Ceasefire

Read: Seychelles, Afghanistan Express Gratitude To PM Modi For Made In India COVID Vaccine Doses

Explosions in Kabul

Meanwhile, the situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated. At least three were killed, including a child, and 20 others injured in a deadly roadside explosion that rocked Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul on Sunday, February 21, a police official said. Ferdaws Faramarz told the Associated Press agency that the first two blasts tore through the motorcades 15 minutes apart, targeting a police vehicle. A child nearby was fatally wounded, and 5 other civilians in the immediate vicinity were killed, including the driver. The explosive device, according to the police, was attached with the magnets to the vehicle and was detonated using a remote control. A third explosion rocked a bustling, overcrowded commercial market, claiming one civilian and critically wounding two police officers. 

Read: US President Joe Biden Would Not Be Okay If The Taliban Ruled Afghanistan: WH

Read: Afghanistan: Roadside Explosions In A Crowded Market Kill 3 Including A Child; 20 Injured

(With inputs from the Associated Press)