Germany is not to extend its mission to Afghanistan involving AWACS radar-equipped surveillance aircraft, as permission to fly has not been received from Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.
The mission has its own mandate that is due to expire on 13 December, AP reported..
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government will, however, extend Germany’s main mission to Afghanistan for another year, but not increase the number of troops, AP said.
Merkel’s Cabinet agreed to extend the country’s participation in the NATO-led mission to Afghanistan for an additional 12 months. The decision requires parliamentary approval, a source close to the government said on Wednesday.
More than 4,000 troops are currently serving in Afghanistan under a mandate that limits their number to no more than 4,500. A small number of those are linked to the specific AWACS mission that will not be extended.
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