Berlin, July 22 (DPA) The German Bundeswehr (military) was Wednesday deploying heavy weapons, including tanks, as part of its battle against the Taliban in the northern Afghan province of Kunduz, a defence ministry spokesman said.
It is believed to be the first time that the Bundeswehr, which has much stricter rules of engagement than other NATO-led forces in the country, has deployed mortar grenades and armoured vehicles.
The spokesman said that the Bundeswehr was engaged in an offensive in cooperation with the Afghan security forces and other International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) troops.
The Rheinische Post, a daily newspaper, reported Wednesday that around 300 soldiers of the Bundeswehr’s Quick Reaction Force were taking part in the offensive.
The aim of the offensive is thought to be to clear the region of Taliban before Afghanistan’s presidential election, due to be held at the end of August. The defence ministry spokesman would not confirm the parameters of the operation.
The paper quoted a soldier as saying that “we are going to use everything that we’ve got”.
The rising level of Germany’s military activities in Afghanistan – which are not formally described as a “war” – is causing discomfort at home.
On Wednesday, the defence spokesman for the opposition Greens warned of a “cycle of violence.” Winfried Nachtwei said that “one has to be careful that this doesn’t become an escalation without end”.
Recent opinion polls in Germany have suggested that a slight majority of the population is in favour of ending the military’s deployment there.
