German parliament okays expanding Afghan military operation
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Berlin, March 25, IRNA -- The German parliament here on Friday gave green light to sending 300 airmen as part of NATO's AWACS reconnaissance mission over Afghanistan.
Some 407 lawmakers voted in favor of committing troops for the military operation in Afghanistan, while 113 opposed it and 32 abstained.
The radical Left Party and the Greens had been against the deployment of additional German soldiers.
The German troop size in Afghanistan will now be boosted to 5,300.
Berlin's decision is geared at freeing up allied forces in Afghanistan to move to the Mediterranean Sea for the Libyan conflict.
Germany hopes to begin the Afghan pullout by the end of this year and conclude the withdrawal by 2014, depending on the security situation in the country.
Most Germans remain deeply opposed to the military mission in Afghanistan.
OT**1420
Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30310208
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