Withdrawal of Italy Troops Starts this year from Afghanistan

KABUL: (MEP) – the latest reports says, Italy is withdrawing its forces from Afghanistan will leave around 1,800 soldiers in Afghanistan by the first quarter of next year.

Italy has currently deployed 2,900 soldiers under the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission in Afghanistan.

The Italian defense minister Mario Mauro has told a parliamentary committee that the Italian forces in Afghanistan will be reduced from 2,900 to 1,800 by spring next year, Khaama reported.

Mario Mauro has further added that the withdrawal will start by the end of this year. “Italian forces will be reduced from an average of 2,900 soldiers during the last three months of 2013 to 1,800 by the end of 2014,” Mauro said.

Mauro further added that the drawing-down of Italian troops was in line with reductions by other NATO allies in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission.

He also added that Italy will maintain a presence in Afghanistan after 2014 through a support mission, involving 59 countries, where it will assist with business training and other forms of support excluding law enforcement.