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Denmark to stick to 2014 Afghanistan withdrawal timetable
Nov 8, 2011, 14:01 GMT
Copenhagen - Denmark remains committed to withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan and handing over security responsibility to Kabul in 2014, Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt said Tuesday.
Thorning-Schmidt cited broad parliamentary backing in parliament for the current timetable, adding it would 'pressure the Afghans to take care of their own security,' in comments during a regular news conference.
The comments followed warnings by the Danish Defence Intelligence Service that it was unlikely that rebel forces would be 'decisively weakened' by the end of 2014 or that Afghan security forces would be prepared by then to take complete charge of security.
Thorning-Schmidt told reporters that challenges remain and that the aim was to gradually hand over responsibility to the Afghan forces, citing that other countries had adopted a similar approach.
The Scandinavian country has suffered 42 fatalities in Afghanistan. Danish troops are based mainly in the restive Helmand province.
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