EU extends police mission in Afghanistan

The EU on Monday extended the bloc's police mission in Afghanistan until the end of 2014 and allocated an additional budget of 108 million euros (140.4 million U.S. dollars). The mission, which was set up in 2007, aims to help the Afghan authorities to develop their civilian policing capacities. The mission has approximately 350 international and 200 local staff, coming from 23 EU member states as well as Croatia and Canada. "This civilian mission...is part of the overall EU commitment to Afghanistan. The EU will continue in the coming years its assistance to Afghanistan's development, including in the area of the rule of law," the EU said in a statement. The decision also came as many European countries, together with the United States, are on track to transfer full responsibility for security to Afghan forces and to withdraw all combat troops by the end of 2014.