16 Dec 2012

French combat troops exit Afghanistan

6:47 am on 16 December 2012

The last French combat troops left Afghanistan on Saturday.

Around 200 soldiers of the 25th Belfort infantry regiment took off around 2.30pm (local time).

AAP reports their departure means France has around 1500 soldiers left in Afghanistan, mostly in Kabul.

They are due to stay into 2013 to take responsibility for repatriating equipment and training the Afghan army to take over.

At the height of its involvement, France had 4000 soldiers in Afghanistan, under the International Security Assistance Force.