Australia to leave
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott declared the end of Australia's "bitter-sweet" war in Afghanistan during a surprise visit to the country, with 1,000 troops set to return home for Christmas.
Abbott flew to the Australian Defence Force mission in Uruzgan province to make the announcement, a government statement said on Tuesday.
"Sweet because hundreds of soldiers will be home for Christmas. Bitter because not all Australian families have had their sons, fathers and partners return," he said at Australia's main base at Tarin Kot on Monday.
"Our mission in Afghanistan has been critical to our national security," Abbott said.
"We have worked to ensure Afghanistan does not again become a safe haven for terrorists and have worked with our allies to make the world a safer place.
"People have paid a high price. We have lost 40 of our best."
AFP
(China Daily 10/30/2013 page12)
