German troops are likely to stay on in Afghanistan as the government on Wednesday agreed to extend its military mandate in the country by 10 months. The new draft mandate still needs the approval of the Bundestag, the lower house of parliament. Under the draft agreed by Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Cabinet, German troops would be able to stay in the war-ravaged country until January 31, 2022. Seibert said that the maximum limit of 1,300 German troops will remain unchanged in the new mandate. NATO undecidedThe decision comes a week after NATO said it had made “no final decision” on the future of the mission.

Source: Egypt Independent February 25, 2021 00:00 UTC