Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel testified before a parliamentary committee investigating Germany’s role in the chaotic 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal.
Germany’s involvement in Afghanistan ended abruptly on August 15, 2021, when the Taliban seized Kabul. The German government, including then-Chancellor Angela Merkel, did not anticipate the rapid Taliban takeover, leading to a chaotic evacuation of German citizens and Afghan allies.
Since 2022, a Bundestag inquiry has been investigating the mistakes behind the withdrawal, with Merkel as the final witness. The ex-Chancellor reiterated that the mission was meant to prevent terrorist attacks from Afghanistan.
Angela Merkel acknowledged that foreign governments failed to meet key objectives, such as promoting the rule of law and women’s rights. She also pointed to cultural misunderstandings, nepotism, and drug trafficking as reasons for the failure. She admitted being initially reluctant to evacuate Afghan development workers, fearing it would signal that Germany was abandoning Afghanistan.
Merkel’s testimony aligned with her former colleague, Helge Braun, who defended the Federal Intelligence Service for underestimating the Taliban’s quick takeover.
The inquiry is focused on the decision-making process and coordination between Germ an government departments and international partners. Committee chair Ralf Stegner highlighted the need to question Angela Merkel about U.S. negotiations under Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden, especially concerning the conditions tied to troop withdrawals.
Chairman of Parliamentary Afghanistan Investigation Committee, Ralf Stegner said that, questions will have to be asked about the duty of care towards the local German forces, about the preparations for the evacuation operation and also about the findings of the Federal Intelligence Service as to whether everything was as it should have been.
Former US President Donald Trump continued to criticize the U.S. withdrawal. Called it a "calamity", seeking for accountability. The international mission in Afghanistan has carried on for about two decades with the US leading the way. Germany was also involved from the start, offering military and humanitarian services. The final report from the German inquiry is expected by next February.
A torpedo from a U.S. submarine sunk an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka, U.S. Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth told reporters as ...
A U.S. submarine strike sank an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka, leaving at least 80 dead, the country&...
The election of Iran’s next supreme leader could provide an opportunity to end the ongoing regional war involving Israel, the U.S. and ...
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the United States is making gains in its conflict with Iran after a key I...
The U.S. Department of Defense has released a video of a submarine strike on an Iranian warship off the southern Sri Lankan coast. At least 80 peop...
A U.S. submarine strike sank an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka, leaving at least 80 dead, the country’s deputy foreign minister said. Meanwhile, Iran postponed the funeral of its late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to state media.
The election of Iran’s next supreme leader could provide an opportunity to end the ongoing regional war involving Israel, the U.S. and Iran, Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the United States is making gains in its conflict with Iran after a key Iranian naval target was destroyed, confirming that the strike was carried out by a U.S. submarine off the coast of Sri Lanka. Rescue efforts are now under way for the ship’s crew.
The U.S. Department of Defense has released a video of a submarine strike on an Iranian warship off the southern Sri Lankan coast. At least 80 people died in the U.S. attack on the vessel, Sri Lanka's Deputy Foreign Minister said.
U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. military has enough stockpiled weapons to fight wars "forever"; in a social media post late on Monday. The remarks came hours before conflict in Iran and the Middle East entered its fourth day.
U.S. first lady, Melania Trump chaired a UN Security Council meeting on children and education in conflict on Monday (2 March), a move criticised by Iran as hypocritical following U.S. and Israeli strikes that triggered a UN warning about risks to children.
A torpedo from a U.S. submarine sunk an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka, U.S. Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth told reporters as the Iranian conflcit entered its fifth day on Wednesday.
The U.S. embassy in Riyadh was hit by two drones resulting in a limited fire and some material damage, the kingdom's defence ministry said in a post on X on Tuesday, citing an initial assessment.
Shahid Motahari Sub-Speciality Hospital in northern Tehran and parts of the Golestan Palace were bombed on day two of the U.S.‑Israel strikes. AnewZ Touraj Shiralilou is in Iran's capital city and said that the facility was flattened in an airstrike.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the United States is making gains in its conflict with Iran after a key Iranian naval target was destroyed, confirming that the strike was carried out by a U.S. submarine off the coast of Sri Lanka. Rescue efforts are now under way for the ship’s crew.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 4th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Strikes across the Middle East are intensifying, fuelling travel disruption, driving up global energy prices and forcing diplomatic missions to shut their doors.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said the United States has a “virtually unlimited supply” of munitions and is capable of sustaining military action indefinitely, as the conflict with Iran entered its fourth day.
The United Nations has called for an investigation into a deadly attack on a girls’ primary school in Iran, which Iranian officials say has killed more than 100 children. The U.S. has said its forces “would not” deliberately target a school.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment