First 200 French soldiers to leave Afghanistan

Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers look at mortars during a weapons exhibition of military equipment donated to the ANA by the United States and other countries at the defence ministry in Kabul on October 18, 2011.
Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers look at mortars during a weapons exhibition of military equipment donated to the ANA by the United States and other countries at the defence ministry in Kabul on October 18, 2011.

A first group of 200 French soldiers were due to leave Afghanistan on Wednesday as part of an early troop withdrawal announced in July by President Nicolas Sarkozy.

A further 200 soldiers are due to return to France before Christmas, with another 600 leaving in 2012, ahead of a full drawdown of NATO's combat mission scheduled in 2014.

Other news