Berlin - German Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet approved plans to increase the authorized limit for the German troop contingent in
Afghanistan from 4,500 to 5,350 on Tuesday, government sources in
Berlin said. The approval was the final preliminary to opening a parliamentary debate in Berlin on Wednesday - with Merkel seeking final authorization from legislators before the end of this month.
Germany cannot deploy troops abroad without annual parliamentary approval.
Though Merkel's government has a safe parliamentary majority, she is seeking bipartisan support, because the deployment is deeply unpopular among Germans.
Germany told the
London conference on Afghanistan last month it would join in a troop surge against the
Taliban by sending 500 more soldiers and increasing a reserve for Afghanistan by 350 men.
The army says it usually has fewer troops in Afghanistan than the actual ceiling set by parliament.
Most of the Germans are in the north of the country, an area which is more stable than the East, but the Germans have had a series of deadly skirmishes with the resurgent Taliban. Allies have expressed exasperation in the past at the Germans staying out of the main battles.
Berlin has drafted its own new strategy for Afghanistan, emphasizing
training Afghan security personnel, more aid work outside the military camps and a gradual troop withdrawal starting next year.
Germany will also deploy 1,400 of the German personnel to train Afghans, a sharp jump from the 280 currently on such duties.
