Germany began withdrawing its troops from the Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday after four months helping to secure the country's historic elections, according to DPA. The first 100 members of the 760-strong contingent were due to arrive at Cologne-Bonn airport on Saturday evening after travelling by air from the West African nation, a government spokesman said. All German troops were expected to arrive home by end of year, a spokesmen for the operational headquarters of the force said in Potsdam near Berlin. The troops were part of an EU force that arrived in DR Congo ahead of the elections in July, which culminated in a run-off vote that saw President Joseph Kabila confirmed winner this week. The EU force was sent to prop up the 2,000 UN peacekeepers in Kinshasa, a stronghold of Kabila's challenger, Jean-Pierre Bemba. A spokesman for the German Defence Ministry said the troops played a decisive role in ensuring that the elections went ahead in the West African nation.
