Transferring responsibility – supporting Afghanistan in the long term
Sat, 20.11.2010
Equally, a responsible hand-over does not mean that Germany and its partners within the international community will withdraw entirely from Afghanistan. International commitment will then take the form of long-term development cooperation based on partnership. This was reaffirmed in a declaration.
The mission of the Federal Armed Forces
The current mandate of the German Bundestag puts a ceiling of 5,350 on the German troops deployed to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. This mandate will run until 28 February 2011. At present almost 5,000 soldiers are deployed. The remaining 350 soldiers can be deployed under special circumstances for a limited period of time as a reserve if so decided by the Defence Committee and the Foreign Affairs Committee of the German Bundestag.
German forces are deployed in the Kabul region and in the north of the country. The majority of German troops are in the north of Afghanistan under the Regional Command North. This area is about half the size of the Federal Republic of Germany. German soldiers are stationed in Mazar-e-Sharif, Kunduz, Faisabad and Taloqan. In Kabul too German soldiers are deployed. The members of the Termes squadron in Uzbekistan are also part of the ISAF contingent.
