German troops in Afghanistan consuming a million litres of beer a year

London, Nov.15 : Being a soldier in Afghanistan is clearly thirsty work. According to military sources, around a million litres of beer was shipped to German troops stationed in Afghanistan last year.

The troops, according to a German Defence Ministry report, also received about 70,000 litres of wine and sekt, a German sparkling wine.

The admission has shocked a country that has never had much time for the Afghan mission, reports The Guardian.

The figures suggest that the 3,600 German soldiers based in Afghanistan as part of NATO's ISAF reconstruction mission, are each consuming around 278 litres of beer a year each, about 490 pints, as well as 128 standard measures of wine.

The figures are set to rise by around 10% this year as troop numbers also increase.

Critics of the mission who have long-argued that Germany should extend its mandate to the dangerous areas in the south of Afghanistan from the relatively safe north, say the admission harms German claims that it is taking a professional approach to the job.

US troops face an alcohol ban when on mission while British and other armies are allowed to drink moderately when not on duty.

The German Defence ministry has reacted coolly, saying that the supply levels indicate that soldiers are "well within" the allowed "two can a day" limit - equivalent to a litre.

ANI