Lack of troops

The outgoing commander of the German Bundeswehr in Afghanistan has outlined troop and equipment shortcomings hampering German efforts to stabilize the region. Parts of his report were quoted in the German magazine Focus and the Bild newspaper.

According to statements in Focus, General Joerg Vollmer says at least one additional infantry company is necessary in the Kunduz region.

The current number of troops "cannot achieve the immediate and wide-reaching improvement of the circumstances in the greater Kunduz region," Vollmer is quoted as saying.

Equipment shortages

Additionally, the Bild newspaper reports that Vollmer advises for more armored vehicles for German troops in the area. He says that of 38 armored vehicles that have been taken out of service between January and June, none have been replaced.

Vollmer adds that some of the equipment that is already available does not fulfil the needs of the troops. For example, the helicopters in service are "effectively limited only to support operations," Vollmer told Focus.

According to the commander, the lack of air conditioning in the German Marder tanks leads to blistering internal temperatures of 80 degrees Celcius (176 degrees Fahrenheit), and the type of munitions supplied for certain machine guns are not appropriate for the tasks the soldiers are doing.

In a separate article published in Focus, Foreign Minister and candidate for chancellor Frank-Walter Steinmeier however insisted that German forces in northern Afghanistan are in good shape, and also spoke against spreading German troops into other regions of the country.

"The civilian organizations and the Bundeswehr troops are networked really well, they know the political figures and the tribal structure," Steinmeier said in Focus. "It would be absurd to give up this position and spread into other regions."

Mistakes by German officer in tanker bombing?

German magazine Spiegel meanwhile on Saturday alleged that serious mistakes were made by a German officer regarding the controversial tanker bombing earlier in the month in Afghanistan.

Taliban militants had hijacked the tankers from NATO forces. Estimates by Afghan officials claim 99 dead in the attack, including 30 civilians.

According to the Spiegel article, German colonel Georg Klein opted against a fly-by of F-15 airplanes before the actual bombing began. Had a fly-by been ordered, it could have given civilians near the tanker the chance to flee before the bombing began.

mz/AFP/Reuters/AP
Editor: Andreas Illmer