Over 2,000 people rally in Berlin against German troops in Afghanistan

More than 2,000 people rallied in Berlin on Saturday to protest against German military deployment in Afghanistan, according to news reports.

Organized by peace groups and the opposition Left party, demonstrators called for the immediate withdrawal of all German and other NATO soldiers from the war-stricken country.

Protesters held up banners saying "No more soldiers. Give peace a chance - troops must leave Afghanistan."

The German government has approved plans to boost its troop size in Afghanistan from 4,500 to 5,350.

The decision of the center-right cabinet is expected to be authorized by the German parliament next week amid mounting public opposition to the Afghan war.

As part of the new Afghan mandate, around 500 of those troops are to be dispatched directly to join the 4,500-strong German military force contingent, based mostly in northern Afghanistan and Kabul as part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

In addition, some 350 soldiers would be maintained as a "flexible reserve", to be
used to provide extra security in political events like the parliamentary election, scheduled for fall.

Berlin had faced tremendous pressure by its key NATO allies, among them the US and
Britain, to sent more troops to Afghanistan to battle the Taliban and al-Qaeda
insurgency.