Afghanistan Military Deployment Should be Extended: German FM

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has suggested that Berlin’s military deployment in Afghanistan should be extended beyond its expiration in March, Germany’s dpa International reported.

Quoted by the Funke Media Group newspapers in comments published Saturday, Maas said that the peace negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban will not be completed by then.

“Therefore, we must be prepared with a parliamentary mandate for various scenarios,” Maas said.

According to dpa news agency, Germany’s military can deploy up to 1,300 soldiers as part of its role in the NATO Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan.

The one-year deployment was estimated by the German government to cost 427.5 million euros, according to dpa news agency.

The discussion of withdrawing forces was prompted by a deal signed by the Taliban and the United States which foresees all foreign troops pulling out of the country by April.