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Updated October 14th, 2021 at 17:59 IST

Germany marks end of its 20-year mission in Afghanistan; honours soldiers' sacrifices

President Frank-Walter Steinmeier talked about the sacrifices made by the 1,50,000 soldiers who had served in the armed forces in Afghanistan.

Reported by: Anwesha Majumdar
Germany
Image: AP | Image:self
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To formally acknowledge the end of Germany's 20-year-long operation in Afghanistan and to recognise the Bundeswehr's (armed force) service as well as sacrifices, German top leaders assembled in Berlin on October 13, Wednesday, which included departing Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer. 

As per the DW website, the military ceremonial event started with a wreath-laying ritual at the Bundeswehr Memorial for honouring the military's dead war heroes, which happened 'in silent contemplation'. "The Afghanistan mission shaped the Bundeswehr — 59 comrades lost their lives," according to the Defence Ministry. 

German forces later convened during the early afternoon of the day for a traditional final roll call at the parade grounds of the Defence Ministry, in which they were addressed by the Defence Minister and President.

During the ceremony, both Kramp-Karrenbauer and Steinmeier addressed the soldiers. In his statements, President Steinmeier talked about the sacrifices made by the 1,50,000 soldiers who had served in the armed forces in Afghanistan, and about widely other things in which Afghanistan represents itself to the German society as a whole. 

President Frank-Walter Steinmeier talks about 20-year Afghanistan mission 

Furthermore, Steinmeier lauded the Bundeswehr's achievements and emphasised the necessity of honouring troops' physical, mental, and emotional scars, as well as speaking freely about their sacrifices. Steinmeier also discussed the difficult issues that Germany should address in the face of global change. He went on to say that the soldiers deserve a security strategy that relies on lessons gained from the prolonged operation in Afghanistan.  

The president even urged for a forthcoming international and security policy that has to be more truthful, smarter, and stronger. He made this comment indicating Germany's failure to achieve its broader political goal of building a stable Afghanistan. In the end, the Grosser Zapfenstreich event took place, which is basically a torchlight march and taps. This event marked the end of honouring Germany's operations in Afghanistan on Wednesday evening.  

The German operation in Afghanistan started in accordance with the NATO alliance's Article 5 pledge, which mandates all allies to respond to the assistance of an ally who is threatened. When the United States was attacked by Islamic extremists on September 11, 2001, the treaty duty went into effect. In January 2002, the first German troops landed in Afghanistan.  

According to Germany's Defence Ministry, the operation in Afghanistan costs probably €12.5 billion which is nearly $14.6 billion, for military and training activities. Germany was a major supplier of soldiers to the alliance. As the US chose to pull its troops out of Afghanistan, it was followed by other Western allies. Germany's involvement in Afghanistan came to an end on June 29, 2021, when the last of its troops left the war-torn nation. 

Image: AP

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Published October 14th, 2021 at 18:01 IST

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