Starting from Wednesday, the Ministry of Defence will hold a debate on the lessons learned from the German armed forces’ two-decade-long mission in Afghanistan.
Conclusions are also to be drawn for other missions, such as in the West African country of Mali.
The Defence Minister, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg planned speaking at the kick-off meeting, which was scheduled to start at 11 a.m. (0900 GMT).
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and defence politicians from the Greens, Free Democrats (FDP), Social Democrats (SPD) and CDU/CSU conservative bloc have cancelled.
Reference was made to an inappropriate time shortly after the Bundestag elections.
The launch of the stock-taking was originally planned for the end of August, but it was postponed because of the military evacuation operation in Kabul after the unexpectedly quick victory of the Taliban.
The debate now includes Brig.-Gen. Jens Arlt, commander of the German forces in the airlift from Kabul, and Brigadier General Ansgar Meyer, the last commander of the last German contingent deployed in Afghanistan.
“A historic chapter has come to an end. The mission in Afghanistan has challenged and shaped the Bundeswehr, and the Bundeswehr has proven itself in combat.
“Members of the Bundeswehr have been wounded in body and soul, people have lost their lives, we have had casualties,’’ Kramp-Karrenbauer said.
During the 20-year mission, 59 men from the ranks of the Bundeswehr died.
Germany operated a Bundeswehr base in Kundus in northern Afghanistan which was captured by the Taliban on Aug. 8.
A week later the Taliban took power in capital Kabul, leading western countries to leave the country.
(NAN)