High casualties in Afghanistan corners Sarkozy

The death of a French solider on Sunday in Afghanistan sparked fresh criticism over France's strategy in the Asian country and mounted pressure on President Nicolas Sarkozy before the presidentrial election next year. During a search operation in Kapisa province, northeast Afghanistan, a French soldier was shot dead by a Taliban insurgent, bringing the total French fatalities in the country to 74 since 2001. In a statement issued by the Elysee following the incident, Sarkozy reaffirmed France's determination to work with the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to restore peace and stability in the country. However, dissent was apparent as left wing parties have then urged immediate withdrawal of French troops to avoid further losses. "We know that today there is no military solution in Afghanistan. It gradually became a war of ground of which we can see the deadlock", said Martine Aubry, a socialist candidate for next presidential election. Aubry, ex-general secretary of the Socialist Party (PS), promised to announce French troops withdrawal "at latest in 2012 " if she wins the presidential election. About 4,000 French soldiers are deployed in Afghan territories as part of the ISAF to help local authorities to restore security and crack down Taliban insurgents. French President Nicolas Sarkozy has announced a phased withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and planned to bring home the last French soldier by 2014. Sarkozy said a quarter of the troops were expected to return to France by the end of 2012. In a statement, the Communist Party (PCF) denounced "the law of silence and lying policy imposed by the French authorities" on the conflict in Afghanistan. "How many victims must be there for that Nicolas Sarkozy and his government agree finally to ask the right questions and to tell the truth? What does the French army do in Afghanistan?" the party asked. Former Prime Minister Laurent Fabius, for his part, saw the need to re-schedule the withdrawal of national soldiers and accelerate their return to stop the "bleeding." "It would be quite possible, desirable and necessary for us to stop the bleeding and for our troops to quit Afghanistan before the end of this year", he told iTele, a local TV station.