German SPD rejects Afghan troop surge bid

German opposition Social Democrat Party (SPD) has ruled out support for an increase in the number of troops in Afghanistan following German army's deadly blitz in Konduz.

The SPD chair, Sigmar Gabriel, has opposed calls by the United States and NATO for a troop increase in Afghanistan, saying that there is “already an imbalance between combat troops and civil reconstruction workers” as the country 'needs more of the latter.'

Speaking to the German newspaper Bild am Sonntag on Saturday, Gabriel rejected the notion of more German army involvement and said that the SPD would “not give its support to additional combat troops beyond the current ceiling.”

His comments have also been reflected by the SPD parliamentary leader Thomas Oppermann who had warned to terminate all future foreign deployments of German soldiers in the wake of a German-conducted air raid in the northern Afghan city of Konduz in which 142 people including many civilians were killed on September 4.

Oppermann also referred to the “serious crisis of confidence” brought about by the Konduz attack and added that “the Bundestag (Germany's lower legislature) must be able to count on getting precise and comprehensive information from the government. There is significant doubt about that.”

The German government under Chancellor Angela Merkel has come under attack for the Konduz 'embarrassment,' prompting the Bundestag to prepare for a probe into the government's handling of the war in Afghanistan.

Germany has around 4,500 soldiers in Afghanistan.