Berlin, Feb 16, IRNA ,The German government is contemplating leaving the controversial US-led anti-terror mission in Afghanistan, code-named ‘Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF)’, the weekly Der Spiegel news magazine said in a report to hit the newsstands on Sunday.
Washington has reportedly linked a German pull-out from OEF to a stronger German military engagement in war-stricken southern Afghanistan following the first round of bilateral talks.
OEF was launched by the US in 2001 in reaction to the 9/11 terror attacks in a bid to prevent the creation of safe-havens for terrorist bases in Afghanistan.
There are presently around 260 German naval soldiers deployed at the Horn of Africa as part of OEF.
Germany provided also 100 KSK elite anti-terror troopers for the Afghan OEF mission until 2005.
Unlike the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), OEF has no UN mandate.
The US has stepped up pressure on Germany to send ISAF troops to war-stricken southern Afghanistan where NATO soldiers are fighting fierce battles with rejuvenated Taliban and al-Qaeda forces.