German Chancellor Angela Merkel has phoned Afghan President Hamid Karzai to express her shock at the attack on a military parade in Kabul, her spokesman said in Berlin Sunday, DPA reported. Merkel told Karzai that Germany, which has some 3,500 troops engaged in reconstruction and training in northern Afghanistan, would continue to stand by the country, Ulrich Wilhelm said. Karzai escaped injury in the attack, which claimed the lives of two people and left eight injured. The Taliban is being held responsible for the attack.
