Berlin - German Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung announced plans Tuesday for Berlin to boost its troop presence in Afghanistan by 1,000 bringing its total force in the country to 4,500. Announcing the additional deployment, Jung said the extra forces would create more room for them to perform their tasks under the auspices of the 52,000-strong International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
"The security situation has become more difficult," said Jung setting out the German plans to beef up its troop presence in Afghanistan.
Germany has been under pressure from the United States and Britain to dispatch forces to the south of Afghanistan, where ISAF troops have been facing tough fighting with the Taliban. German troops have been based in the relatively more stabile northern part of the country.
But Jung said Berlin there were no plans to change the location of German forces in Afghanistan.
The German Defence Minister said the increase in German troops would help to "provide direct protection for our soldiers." He went on to say: "What we need is more flexibility."
The German Parliament has to sign off on the nation's overseas troop deployment.
Jung said he had informed the defence policy experts in the various German parliamentary factions of the plans.
However, Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition government has come under fire from Germany's opposition parties about the troop commitment to Afghanistan with the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) and the Greens criticising Jung for failing to lead an open public debate on the issue.
The nation's Left Party (Die Linke) has also joined peace activists groups in attacking Berlin's moves to boost the Afghan troop commitment saying it would help pave the way for an escalation of the war in Afghanistan and instead called for more civil aid to be sent to the country.
Detailing the new troop commitment, Jung also said Germany will reduce its commitment to US-led anti-terror force, Operation Enduring Freedom, to 800 troops from 1,400 troops. However, up to 100 of the elite troops are to be made available for Afghanistan.
The plans for a higher troop presence follow on the advice given by German armed forces Inspector General Wolfgang Schneiderhan, who advised Jung about the manpower needs necessary for the German troops to fulfil their mission and for their own security.
On July 1, Germany is to takeover responsibility for the rapid deployment forces in order to protect ISAF operations in northern Afghanistan. The German military also aims to become more strongly involved in training of Afghan soldiers.
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