Germany decides to disband one of its elite military forces

Text by: RFI Follow

The KSK, an elite force created in Germany in the 1990s for delicate operations such as the rescue of hostages held abroad, became increasingly embarrassing for Berlin. Revelations on the extreme right sympathies of certain members and disappearances of armaments have been in the news for weeks.

Publicity

With our correspondent in Berlin, Pascal Thibault

After what she described as "  disturbing and alarming discoveries  ", it was time according to German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer to clean up.

After the disappearance of 48,000 munitions, 62 explosives and the spread of far-right ideas among an elite troop living in autarky, the special forces KSK will have to make a new start. One of the companies where the extremist slippages have been the greatest will simply be dissolved without being replaced. An in-depth renewal must be implemented in the coming months. Until then, the KSK forces will not participate in any mission and intervention.

These slippages, now publicized, worry as Germany faces an upsurge in far-right terrorism. In this context, it is even less acceptable than in the past to accept such behavior.

►Read also: The rise of the far right worries German intelligence

In January, German counterintelligence estimated that the number of right-wing extremists in this elite unit was five times higher than in the German army as a whole. The selection and training of these forces must be improved. The Minister of Defense has warned that if her warning shot is not to be heard, she will not remain inactive.

Newsletter Receive all international news directly in your mailbox

Follow all international news by downloading the RFI application

• Germany
• Defense