European troops make low-key return home from Afghanistan

The last German and Italian troops have returned home from Afghanistan to low-key receptions, nearly 20 years after the first Western soldiers were deployed there

BERLIN -- The last German and Italian troops returned home from Afghanistan to low-key receptions on Wednesday, nearly 20 years after the first Western soldiers were deployed there. Announcements from several countries show that a majority of European troops has now left with little ceremony, bringing the Western mission in Afghanistan close to an end as the United States' own withdrawal looms. There was no update from NATO on how many nations still have troops in its Resolute Support mission. Germany publicly announced the end of its nearly 20-year deployment in a statement and a series of tweets from the defense minister late Tuesday evening, shortly after the last plane carrying its troops had left Afghan airspace.