The defense commissioner of the Bundestag, Eva Högl, has pleaded for an honor to be given to the Bundeswehr soldiers involved in the evacuation mission in Kabul.
"The soldiers must be honored in any case," said the SPD politician in the newspapers of the editorial network Germany.
She campaigned for Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (CDU) to personally honor the soldiers - “for example with a cross of honor or a medal”.
"We can be very proud of what has been achieved," said Högl, referring to the dramatic rescue operation in which foreigners and local Afghan workers were flown out of Kabul after the radical Islamic Taliban came to power in mid-August.
The Bundeswehr saved more than 5000 people with their aircraft.
“That is a top achievement.” In general, the soldiers in Afghanistan have “given everything in the past almost 20 years.
You are not to blame for what did not work. "
5300 people flown out
According to the Ministry of Defense, the German Armed Forces brought more than 5,300 people to safety with their A400M transport aircraft in 37 flights over the course of the almost two-week mission. These included around 500 German citizens, around 4,000 Afghans and other people from a total of 45 nations. Paratroopers, soldiers from the Special Forces Command (KSK), military police, crisis support teams, paramedics, military police and members of the air force were involved in the operation.
Högl emphasized that the mission had underlined the necessity of the KSK, which had recently fallen into disrepute due to right-wing extremist incidents. “I am very happy that we have the KSK,” she said. During the evacuation operation, many had noticed how important the unit was. “We need the skills these women and men possess”. It is good that everyone has now seen it. "That has strengthened the association morally," she said.
Finally, she also praised the sponsorship network for local Afghan workers and its chairman, Marcus Grotian.
"The commitment of Marcus Grotian and the others in the sponsorship network is excellent," Högl told the newspapers.
Local forces at other Bundeswehr deployment locations could also benefit from their work for the Afghan Bundeswehr supporters in the future: Högl suggested that, during other deployments, it should be checked "which local workers need our support if the situation changes."
WHO is supposed to transport German aid by airlift
Meanwhile, Federal Development Minister Gerd Müller (CSU) said that future aid deliveries from the federal government to Afghanistan should be handled via an airlift from the World Health Organization (WHO). “We haven't forgotten the people in Afghanistan. And that's why I discussed with WHO President Tedros that we would support the planned WHO airlift to supply hospitals with medicines and vaccines, ”Müller told the Rheinische Post newspaper.
The federal government is also increasing its support for the United Nations World Food Program, UNICEF and experienced non-governmental organizations such as Deutsche Welthungerhilfe or Doctors Without Borders in order to prevent a famine. These funds would be implemented directly through the aid organizations and would thus directly benefit the needy population.