German parliament gives green light to extending Sudan mission

Berlin, Dec 15, IRNA German parliament gives green light to extending Sudan mission - excerpt:

German lawmakers approved on Friday the extension of the Sudan mission until June amid the worsening security situation in the Darfur region.

A total of 466 MPs voted in favor, 44 opposed it and 9 abstained.

Under the mandate, up to 200 German soldiers could be sent to Sudan as part of the UN-led monitoring mission (UNMIS).

There are presently around 78 German military monitors and soldiers based in Sudan.

Post-World War II German troops had never been deployed in the African continent before the Sudan peace mission.

Around 10,000 German UN peacekeeping and anti-terror troops are stationed in areas like Afghanistan, the Balkan region, Congo, Sudan, Ethiopia, Georgia and the Horn of Africa.