Berlin (dpa) - Around 600 people from across Germany demonstrated in Berlin on Saturday against NATO's military presence in Afghanistan.

The protestors, summoned by the Left Party and various peace groups, were due later to march on the Reichstag, the seat of parliament, and the Brandenburg gate in central Berlin.
Peace activists on the march held up the slogan “No more soldiers. Give peace a chance - troops must leave Afghanistan.”
The organizers expected up to 2,000 people to attend.
Overall in Europe, the war in Afghanistan is so unpopular that it has become a dangerous political gamble for European governments to support it. For its part, Germany will only send an additional 500 troops to complement the 4,330 German troops already in Afghanistan.
On January 26, Chancellor Merkel had to do a balancing act between NATO’s request for more troops with the fact that a majority of Germans are becoming staunch opponent to the war, and think the mission is not worthwhile.