The office of German chancellor Angela Merkel announced on Thursday that she will make her first visit to a memorial service for German servicemen killed in Afghanistan.

A ceremony will take place on Friday afternoon for three soldiers who were killed in a Taliban attack on Good Friday.

Merkel's decision to go to the service in Lower Saxony follows calls for her to attend such events personally. German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, who has attended previous ceremonies, is due to join her.

"It is her personal request," a spokesman for the chancellor said. Merkel decided to return home early from a holiday on the Canary Island of La Gomera so that she can be present.

German popular daily newspaper Bild had called for the chancellor to make an appearance, following the example of leaders such as US President Barak Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Attendance at previous service

Merkel has previously been present at a service for three policemen who were killed in a Kabul bomb attack, but never at a ceremony for soldiers.

Demands for her attendance also came from members of Merkel's own Christian Democrat (CDU) party as well as the opposition.

"In light of the Afghanistan debate it would be a good signal socially for the chancellor to think about taking part in the memorial service," CDU member of parliament Marco Wanderwitz told Bild before the announcement was made by Merkel's office.

The soldiers killed last week, aged 25, 28 and 35, are among 39 German soldiers to have lost their lives in Afghanistan.

About 4,300 German soldiers are currently stationed in Afghanistan.

rc/apn/AFP/dpa
Editor: Rob Turner