Germany officially removes its remaining troops from Afghanistan
June 30, 2021, 5:16 am

Germany officially removes its remaining troops from Afghanistan

Sputnik reported that Germany officially removed its last remaining service members from Afghanistan on Tuesday, marking an end to the nation's near 20-year military stay in the Middle Eastern country. Afghanistan

The troop removal was declared by both German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer and the Bundeswehr, Germany's unified armed forces.

A release issued by the Bundeswehr details that the last German troops officially departed from Afghanistan at approximately 9:24 p.m. local time, and are scheduled to stopover in Tbilisi, Georgia, before touching back down in Germany on Wednesday. Afghanistan

According to Sputnik, estimates suggest the Tuesday operation saw the removal of nearly 600 service members. Additionally, the Bundeswehr release states military officials will now be working toward redeploying nearly 800 containers of equipment, which includes some 120 vehicles and six helicopters.

Sputnik reported, citing Kramp-Karrenbauer as saying "This is the end of a historical chapter - an intensive effort that has challenged and shaped us." Afghanistan

Troops are expected to undergo a mandatory two-week quarantine after returning to Germany as part of ongoing efforts to curb the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant.

Since the start of Germany's near 20-year military presence in Afghanistan, the European country held the second-largest contingent of troops after the US, having deployed some 160,000 troops to the region. Many troops who were deployed served more than one military tour.

A total of 59 German soldiers were killed in Afghanistan. Germany's mission proved to be the deadliest military operation since World War 2, as well as the most expensive after having cost taxpayers upwards of $15 billion.

Earlier, reports indicated that German officials intended to wrap up their ongoing troop removal process by July 4. At the time, it was reported that roughly 1,100 German soldiers remained in the country.

The latest development comes as the US is in the midst of its own troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. US President Joe Biden has set a goal of removing soldiers by September 11, the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Afghanistan

levant

Source: Sputnik

Image source: AP-Sputnik

New UK legislation to give govt freedom to support business Prince George attends England football game with his parents

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”