Berlin – Germany is to begin reducing its military presence in Afghanistan following the peace deal struck between the U.S. and the Taliban, military sources said on Tuesday.
Around 1,300 German soldiers are currently in Afghanistan as part of NATO’s Resolute Support mission.
Internal assessments showed that Germany can continue its task of training and advising Afghan troops even with an 18 per cent reduction in boots on the ground.
In northern Afghanistan, Germany is a so-called framework nation, providing services for other armed forces.
After protracted negotiations, the U.S. agreed in late February to sign a deal with the Taliban.
Washington has since begun a gradual withdrawal of U.S. troops after almost two decades of conflict.
However, talks between the Afghan government and the militants appear to have stalled about terms of a prisoner swap.
There are also still frequent reports of violence in the country. (dpa/NAN)