France to withdraw all combat forces from Afghanistan this year
All
French combat forces shall pull out of Afghanistan by the end of the
year, France's new president said in Kabul today.
Some trainers shall remain to help Afghanistan's security forces.
Francois Hollande said that France's troops have carried out their mission in Afghanistan and that they can leave; an early pullout, co-ordinated with the United States and other allies.
Some trainers shall remain to help Afghanistan's security forces.
Francois Hollande said that France's troops have carried out their mission in Afghanistan and that they can leave; an early pullout, co-ordinated with the United States and other allies.
“There
will be no combat troops” after the end of the year, Mssr. Hollande
said during a joint news conference with Afghan President Hamid
Karzai.
Mssr. Hollande flew to Afghanistan to meet troops and to discuss plans with Mr Karzai to withdraw combat troops more than a year earlier than scheduled.
Security reasons prevent the announcement of his visit ahead of time and he expects to depart shortly after the news conference.
Mssr. Hollande said that France shall pull its 2,000 combat troops, out of a total of 3,300, out by the end of the year.
Some would stay behind to help send military equipment back to France, and others would help train the Afghan army and police. He did not provide a breakdown for the roles of the 1,300 soldiers who shall remain past 2012 or how long they would stay.
The discussion of continued cooperation between Hollande and Karzai took place “because there will continue to be trainers who will work with (Afghan) soldiers and police.”
France signs an agreement with Afghanistan that calls for co-operation after 2014.
During an earlier meeting with French troops at a base in the Nijrab district of the eastern Kapisa province, Hollande said “several reasons justify this decision to withdraw our combat troops from Afghanistan.”
“The time for Afghan sovereignty has come,” he said. “The terrorist threat that targeted our territory, while it hasn't totally disappeared, is in part lessened.”
His predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy, had pledged to withdraw all troops by the end of 2013 but Mr Hollande, elected president this month, made a more immediate pullout a pillar of his campaign.
Mssr. Hollande flew to Afghanistan to meet troops and to discuss plans with Mr Karzai to withdraw combat troops more than a year earlier than scheduled.
Security reasons prevent the announcement of his visit ahead of time and he expects to depart shortly after the news conference.
Mssr. Hollande said that France shall pull its 2,000 combat troops, out of a total of 3,300, out by the end of the year.
Some would stay behind to help send military equipment back to France, and others would help train the Afghan army and police. He did not provide a breakdown for the roles of the 1,300 soldiers who shall remain past 2012 or how long they would stay.
The discussion of continued cooperation between Hollande and Karzai took place “because there will continue to be trainers who will work with (Afghan) soldiers and police.”
France signs an agreement with Afghanistan that calls for co-operation after 2014.
During an earlier meeting with French troops at a base in the Nijrab district of the eastern Kapisa province, Hollande said “several reasons justify this decision to withdraw our combat troops from Afghanistan.”
“The time for Afghan sovereignty has come,” he said. “The terrorist threat that targeted our territory, while it hasn't totally disappeared, is in part lessened.”
His predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy, had pledged to withdraw all troops by the end of 2013 but Mr Hollande, elected president this month, made a more immediate pullout a pillar of his campaign.
SOURCE:
{ http://news.eircom.net/breakingnews/20537240/
: on 25/05/2012 12:13:36 }
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