The German Parliament has approved a new mandate for the extension of approximately 4,900 German troops in Afghanistan by another year until 31 January 2012.

The extension will cost an additional $1.43bn with the maximum force level set at 5,350 troops, 350 of those being a flexible reserve, according to Defense News.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Go deeper with GlobalData

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

The new mandate also includes a schedule for the withdrawal of German troops, according to which the first German soldiers will leave the Hindu Kush by the end of 2011 and the last combat troops by 2014.

Head of the SPD, Germany’s opposition party, Siegmar Gabriel, said for the first time during the ten-year history of the mission, there was a realistic chance for a trend reversal in Afghanistan.

Army Technology Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Army Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact across the defence sector.

Excellence in Action
Virtualitics has clinched both the Innovation and Business Expansion awards for its Integrated Readiness Optimization (IRO) AI suite, transforming maintenance, sustainment and operational decision-making across the US DoD. Discover how explainable AI and predictive insights are redefining mission readiness, risk management and joint-force efficiency.

Discover the Impact