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Kabul (dpa) - Shortly before the start of the NATO troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas promised the country further support for the time afterwards.
"Germany remains a reliable partner at the side of the people in Afghanistan," said the SPD politician on Thursday during a short visit to the capital Kabul and to the German soldiers in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif.
Maas thanked them for their almost 20 years of commitment.
What had been built up thanks to the international troops, the country had "advanced".
"That's why it wasn't in vain."
Two weeks ago, NATO decided to bring home the 10,000 soldiers who were still in Afghanistan.
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Before that, the USA, as the largest provider of troops, had committed itself to leaving the country by September 11th - the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of the Al Qaeda network in the USA.
In the meantime, a shortening of the withdrawal period until July 4th, the national holiday of the USA, is under discussion.
Maas spoke to President Ashraf Ghani among others in Kabul.
The minister promised that Germany would continue to support the stalled peace negotiations between the Afghan government and the rebellious Taliban.
"There is no easy negotiated solution, but the negotiations remain the best chance for a sustainable, secure and stable future for the country."
The Foreign Minister also pledged further civil aid.
Germany has made 430 million euros available for this in the current year.
The same amount has been promised for the next few years until 2024.
However, the federal government wants to make payments dependent on the development of the peace process and also on factors such as the human rights situation.
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The military operation will end soon, but the engagement will continue at all other levels, stressed Maas. "It is in our European interest to create good and secure prospects for Afghans." He sent the message to the Taliban that they too knew that the country was massively dependent on international aid. These will certainly not exist if the Islamists regain their democratic standards and rights.
May 1st is the official start date for the withdrawal.
The preparations at the individual bases are already in full swing - also with the Bundeswehr.
Germany provides the second largest contingent of NATO troops after the USA.
Of the 1,100 German soldiers, 100 are stationed in Kabul and 1,000 near the northern Afghan metropolis of Mazar-i-Sharif.
Camp Marmal there is the largest Bundeswehr base outside of Germany.
From there, 123 vehicles and six helicopters as well as tons of other material - a total of 800 container loads - are to be transported back to Germany over the next few weeks.
Recently there had been concerns that the Taliban could torpedo the withdrawal with attacks.
For this reason, additional security forces are currently being sent to Afghanistan.
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Maas does not necessarily expect an increase in attacks on NATO troops in the coming weeks.
"We are prepared for anything," he emphasized.
But there are “hopeful signals” that the feared increase in violence against foreign soldiers will not become a reality.
At the end of his visit, Maas wanted to lay a wreath at the grove of honor for the fallen soldiers in Mazar-i-Sharif.
He paid tribute to the work of the Bundeswehr.
“Much has been achieved here.
And that has something to do with the fact that the German armed forces have ensured that there is more security here, ”he said.
"And for that I want to express my thanks to the soldiers."
The last German soldier is said to have left the camp by mid-August at the latest.
This is the end of the most lossy and expensive foreign deployment in the history of the Bundeswehr.
59 German soldiers lost their lives, 35 in attacks or in combat.
The operation, which was originally intended to safeguard peace and then became a combat operation against the rebellious Taliban, cost more than 12 billion euros.
Most recently, the core mission of the NATO force was the training of Afghan armed forces.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210429-99-404608 / 4
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