Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, Safar 24, 1437, Dec 6, 2015, SPA -- German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen paid a traditional holiday visit to German troops in northern Afghanistan on Sunday, a trip that comes on the heel's of Berlin's recent decision to enlarge its military deployment in the country, dpa reported. "The basic message must be: We're staying," von der Leyen told reporters of her trip's purpose before the flight landed in Mazar-i-Sharif, where 1,500 troops from 21 NATO countries are stationed, most of them German. -- SPA 21:19 LOCAL TIME 18:19 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w