France ends last combat mission in Afghanistan

French General Eric Hautecloque Raysz (R) gives the symbolic key of the base to his Afghan counterpart General Mohammad Zaman Waziri during a handover ceremony between the French army and the ANA (Afghan National Army) at the forward operational base of Nijrab, as part of the withdrawal of French troops, Nov 20, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

France ended its last combat mission in Afghanistan on Tuesday, withdrawing troops from a strategic province northeast of Kabul as part of an accelerated departure from the war-torn country.

Paris has said all French combat soldiers will leave next month, two years before NATO nations contributing to the 100,000-strong International Security Assistance Force led by the United States, are due to depart.

Around 1,500 French soldiers will stay into 2013 to take responsibility for repatriating equipment and training the Afghan army to take over when all NATO combat troops leave in 2014.

France joined the NATO coalition in late 2001 after the Sept 11 attacks on the US, to topple the Taliban that had given refuge to Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaida network.

Despite 11 years of fighting, a resilient Taliban insurgency has led to warnings of a return to civil war or the Taliban returning to power in Afghanistan after 2014.

An AFP correspondent saw the last 400 soldiers deployed in Kapisa province start to leave Nijrab, the last French base outside Kabul, at 10 am local time after a departure ceremony.

A French soldier (L) lowers the French national flag during a handover ceremony between the French army and the ANA (Afghan National Army) at the forward operational base of Nijrab, as part of the withdrawal of French troops, Nov 20, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

France has lost 88 soldiers in Afghanistan and has been the fifth-largest contributor to the international force, behind the US, Britain, Germany and Italy.

Kapisa, which straddles key transit routes from Pakistan to the Afghan capital, has been the deadliest French mission in Afghanistan, accounting for 60 French fatalities.

Troops moved into the province in 2008, and clashes with the Taliban and militia quickly increased.

French and Afghan commanders say Kapisa has been stabilized, but they have been unable to provide supporting statistics. Attacks have continued.

Paris decided to accelerate its withdrawal after a string of deadly attacks in 2011 and 2012.

Agence France-Presse