Some deputies on Friday protested German involvement in invasion of Afghanistan, reminding civilians killed in attacks.

Deputies from Left Party held up posters in the lower house of parliament in an anti-war protest.

The action came during a debate whether to reject the increase of troops number.

The deputies held up posters with names of civilians were killed by an air strike in September carried out on German orders.

In the September 4 attack, up to 142 people were killed.

Norbert Lammert, president of the parliament, first told the Left party deputies to fold up their posters. When they refused, he ordered them all to leave.

"Germany is taking part in a war against the population of Afghanistan," Left party deputy Christine Buchholz said in a speech to parliament moments before the anti-war protest.

However, Bundestag lower house of parliament approved a military surge in Afghanistan which is deeply unpopular among Germans.

This will increase the authorized limit for the German troop contingent from 4,500 to 5,350.

The new 12-month Afghan mandate was carried by the parliamentary majority of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) and her centre-right coalition partner, the Free Democrats (FDP).

Overall, 429 parliamentarians voted in favour of the mandate, previously approved by Merkel's cabinet, while 111 members opposed the vote and 46 abstained.

But, Germany cannot deploy troops abroad without annual parliamentary approval.

Agencies

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