Germany's Bundeswehr leaves behind a changed Afghanistan

It all started on December 5, 2001. Germany hosted an international conference on Afghanistan at Hotel Petersberg in Bonn. Hamid Karzai was chosen as head of new Afghan transitional government. He later got elected as president in 2004 and stayed in power until 2014. In December 2001, the German parliament voted to deploy troops in Afghanistan.

On January 11, 2002, 70 German troops landed in Kabul. This was the beginning of Bundeswehr's active involvement in the war in Afghanistan and the first major post World War II combat mission for the German army. When operations were at their peak, up to 5350 German troops were based in the country, making Germany the third largest troop contributor after the US and the UK.

On March 6, 2002, two German and three Danish soldiers were killed in Kabul as a result of an explosion caused by a missile they were attempting to defuse. Some 55 German soldiers lost their lives during Bundeswehr's involvement in Afghan war.

Peter Struck, Germany's defense minister at the time, visited the newly deployed German troops in Kabul on July 26, 2002. Bundeswehr's Afghan mission sparked some criticism in Germany. "The security of the Federal Republic of Germany is being defended in the Hindu Kush too," Struck said referring to the country's participation in the war.

Germany shifted its focus to relatively calm northern Afghanistan to address both domestic criticism and international expectations. German troops were deployed in northern Kunduz Province on October 25, 2003, and by 2006, Germany was NATO's lead nation for maintaining stability in northern Afghanistan. The picture shows German troop patrolling in Kunduz in 2008.

Germany was one of the first NATO members to move outside Kabul and establish a Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT), which funded aid projects alongside helping with the security in northern Afghanistan. Germany has pledged to continue financial support beyond 2014.

Germany has been a major player in training Afghan security forces. The NATO member has trained over 60,000 Afghan security forces in its four training centers across Afghanistan. The training mission had reportedly cost Germany around 503 million USD by the end of 2012.

On September 4, 2009, German officer Col. Georg Klein ordered an airstrike targeting two NATO fuel tanks which were abducted by Taliban fighters. The strike killed between 91 and 141 civilians, including children. The victims, who were mistaken for Taliban fighters, were at the site to collect some free fuel. The incident sparked criticism within and outside Germany.

On May 22, 2010, former German president Horst Kohler made some controversial remarks during his visit to Afghanistan, which led to his resignation. Kohler appeared to justify the country's military mission in Afghanistan with the need to protect economic interests.

As part of NATO's plan to withdraw its combat troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2014, Germany pulled out its troops from Badakhshan Province in 2010 and a year later from Kunduz Province. Bundeswehr military bases in these provinces were handed over to Afghan security forces. By the end of 2012, Camp Marmul in Mazar-e-Sharif was Bundeswhr's main military base in northern Afghanistan.

At the time of handing over Kunduz military base to Afghan security forces, NATO officials claimed that they were leaving behind a peaceful region and a stronger Afghan security force. It, however, proved to be otherwise few months later. In August 2014, Taliban fighters seized control of a NATO military camp which was handed over to Afghan forces and raised their white flag on it.

Camp Marmul was the last stop for many German soldiers and their military equipment. The military camp has been downsizing since 2012. However, it will remain Germany's biggest military base in Afghanistan beyond 2015, accommodating up to 800 German troops to train and advice Afghan security forces.

A contingent of roughly 12,000 foreign soldiers, providing training and support for Afghan security forces, is expected to remain at least until the end of 2016. Germany will also contribute to NATO's new training mission in Afghanistan which will start in 2015.