German Chancellor pays visit to troops in northern Afghanistan

Print Post

An AH-64D Apache attack helicopter from the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division shuts down following a mission at Camp Marmal in Mazar-e Sharif, Afghanistan. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Joe Armas)

CAMP MARMAL, Mazar-e Sharif, Afghanistan – German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrived here on Monday morning to visit with members of German armed forces supporting the NATO mission. Merkel, who last visited Afghanistan during December of 2010, had planned to also visit German soldiers at the base known as Provincial Reconstruction Team Kunduz, which is about 200 kilometers to the east of Mazar-e Sharif. Her original plans, however, were altered due to inclement weather. The German leader arrived in the early morning hours at Camp Marmal amid steady snowfall.

Merkel paid tribute to the camp’s ceremonial site honoring fallen soldiers, met with Regional Command North Commander, Maj. Gen. Erich Pfeffer, visited various locations around Camp Marmal, and was shown new German military vehicles. After eating lunch with troops at the German dining facility, Merkel addressed German and NATO soldiers at Planet Mazar, the camp’s open atrium.

She mentioned that because the Kunduz visit was cancelled, she was able to spend more time at Camp Marmal, allowing her more time to see the collaboration between German and NATO soldiers. The Chancellor of Germany made sure to thank soldiers for their work, emphasizing a sense of pride and respect for their efforts.

Merkel, who was elected as German Chancellor in 2005, was accompanied by four-star General Volker Wieker, who is the Inspector General, or Chief of Staff, of the German armed forces. According to the International Security Assistance Force’s (ISAF) web page, as of February 1, Germany is the third largest contributor of troops (4,818) in support of the NATO mission in Afghanistan, only behind the United Kingdom and the United States.

Tags: Afghan National Security Force, afghanistan, Camp Marmal, Feature, featured, German, germany, independence, mazar e sharif, nato, nato training mission, NATO Training Mission Afghanistan, NTM-A

Category: News - General