German troops are likely to have their mission in Afghanistan extended by one year, a government spokesman said on Wednesday.

Their current peacekeeping operation in the Central Asian state expires on October 13.

The extension of the soldiers' participation in the international peacekeeping force first needs to be approved by the German parliament, possibly in a vote next week.

NATO, which is leading the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, has recently called for additional troops due to the worsening security situation in the country, especially in the south.

Germany, however, will not send its troops to the volatile southern area, government deputy spokesman Thomas Steg said.

He said the nearly 3,000 German troops would remain in northern Afghanistan.

Source: Xinhua