Afghanistan

New commander-in-chief of the NATO in Afghanistan

In the fight against Taliban and NATO get the troops to a new boss. US-General John Nicholson, commander-in-chief is the new command and executes the currently there are 12,000 soldiers in a difficult use.

Also, almost 15 years after the beginning of the international Intervention in Afghanistan the country is not in the Hindu Kush to rest. The Taliban are so active in years, and also the terrorist militia “Islamic state” (IS) spreading. In the midst of this difficult Phase, there is a change of leadership in the Western armed forces: US General John Nicholson replaced John Campbell as commander-in-chief of NATO’s Resolute Support Mission and U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

At the handover ceremony Nicholson has taken office

At a handover ceremony in Kabul, Nicholson called on the radical Islamic Taliban to end the fight: “I know you. I have fought against you. You have brought to the Afghan people only Hardship and Suffering. It is time that the has come to an end and that their laying down of arms.” He also paid tribute to the Afghans have great respect. “All who have fought in the Afghan and the coalition forces so brave, for me, are heroes. But the real heroes are those Afghan leaders here in the capital who have the hard Job, a government and lead and those Afghans in the villages and cities, whose life has improved since 2001, certainly, but they must endure the uncertainty and the losses of this conflict.”

Afghanistan Expert

Nicholson knows the country very well. Between 2006 and 2012, he was stationed three Times in Afghanistan. He commanded troops in the South and in the East, where the terrorist militia IS the foot wants to believe, and according to estimates from 1000 to 3000 fighters. Later, Nicholson was Deputy chief of staff for operations of U.S. soldiers, as well as the former NATO Mission ISAF headquarters in Kabul. In addition, he was 14 months, Director of the coordination Department for Pakistan and Afghanistan in the Pentagon. Most recently, he served as the commander of the NATO land forces headquarters in Turkey.

Actually, the Western allies had hoped to leave the Afghanistan conflict of the local government. However, he flares up increasingly. The Taliban controlled as much territory since 2001, it said in a recent US report. Dozens of competitive districts. In 2015, more than 7000 police officers and soldiers died alone, thousands of civilians were killed or wounded.

Uncertainty about future NATO Mission

Currently, Nicholson commanded about 12,000 in Afghanistan-based NATO soldiers. Because you fight the mandate was gone by the end of 2014 to the end of it, concentrate mainly on the Training of the Afghan armed forces. How many troops, Nicholson will have in the future is unclear. The United States wanted to reduce the end of the year, just under 10,000 troops to 5,500. But first, on Monday, the Chairman of the United General staff of the U.S. armed forces, Joseph Dunford said, according to the political Blog “The Hill” in a Pentagon Briefing that the Ministry of defense strength the future of the troops in Afghanistan consider. The Afghans need more help than expected. This could also have an impact on the troops choices in Germany and other countries. The Bundestag had decided in December, the increase of the Bundeswehr troops at the Hindu Kush in the range of 850 to 980 soldiers.

Attack in the East of the country

How uncertain the situation in Afghanistan, shows a new attack. In an attack on the Indian Consulate in the ostafghanischen city of Jalalabad were killed after two-hour battle, all six of the attackers. The spokesman for the police, Hasrat Hussain Maschrikiwal said. Two civilians were killed and 19 people injured. Who were the perpetrators, remained unclear. Neither the Taliban nor the IS known to of the fact.

where/ (dpa, rtr)