End Of An Era: Germany Withdraws Its Last Soldier From Afghanistan

Germany has finished withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan, in an operation that began in May, according to the German Defense Ministry, while the US military withdrawal from the country is expected to be completed by September 11.

"After nearly 20 years of deployment, the last soldiers of our Bundeswehr have left Afghanistan this evening," German Defense Minister Kramp-Karrenbauer said, viewing it as the end of a “historic chapter.”

Heute Abend haben die letzten Soldatinnen & Soldaten der #Bundeswehr #Afghanistan sicher verlassen. Nach 20 Jahren ist unser intensivster Auslandseinsatz beendet. Mein großer Dank gilt den über 150.000 Männern & Frauen in Uniform, die dort seit 2001 Dienst geleistet haben. 1/3
— A. Kramp-Karrenbauer (@akk) June 29, 2021

Last February, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas announced that his country intends to extend its military mission in Afghanistan, where its forces constitute the second largest force after the United States.

In April, US President Joe Biden thanked German Chancellor Angela Merkel for her country's contributions to "NATO’s Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan," and the two agreed to "continue supporting efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan."

It is noteworthy that German parliamentary blocs (liberal and extreme left), demanded the government to implement a new withdrawal strategy from Afghanistan, after 20 years of military presence in the country.

On the other hand, White House Spokeswoman Jen Psaki announced, a few days ago, the identification of a group of Afghan personnel who have worked with the United States and who will be transferred to a location outside Afghanistan, before the end of the withdrawal of her country's forces next September.