MOSCOW, October 13 (RIA Novosti) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel thinks it necessary to continue the support of Afghan forces by NATO after 2016, Spiegel has reported.
According to the magazine, Merkel expressed concern about NATO's plans to stop training of Afghan forces by the end of 2016 at a Committee on Foreign Affairs meeting.
The chancellor reminded that after the US troops had withdrawn from Iraq, the Iraqi security forces weakened significantly and can barely repel the attacks of the Islamic State (IS) extremist group. NATO should take it into account to avoid creating a similar situation in Afghanistan, according to Merkel.
She believes it is worth considering extending support mission for Afghan forces, with 800 German servicemen expected in Afghanistan in 2015.
About 41,000 NATO troops remain in Afghanistan to fight the Taliban insurgency alongside Afghan soldiers and police. NATO's combat mission will end in December 2014.
On September 30, the United States, NATO and Afghanistan signed a deal to formally justify the presence of a limited military contingent in the country after the formal withdrawal of international forces. A follow-on contingent of about 12,000 troops is likely to stay into 2015 on training and support duties.
