Germany’s defense minister has called on the country’s elite KSK special forces to engage constructively in reform efforts amid growing concerns over a series of right-wing extremist incidents.
INTELLIGENCE SERVICE: THERE ARE AT LEAST 500 FAR-RIGHT EXTREMISTS IN THE ARMY
Speaking at a news conference in the capital Berlin earlier in the week, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said the planned revamping of the KSK elite army unit should not be understood as punishment, but as “probation.”
Kramp-Karrenbauer warned of a “toxic leadership culture” within the KSK anti-terror troops, noting on Monday that the dissolution of the unit and formation of a new special force were on the table, should reform efforts fail to yield results by Oct. 31.
As part of Kramp-Karrenbauer’s reform plans, KSK operations will be transferred to other units as possible and the elite troopers will not participate for the time being in international military exercises and missions.
According to Germany’s military intelligence service (MAD), there are more than 500 suspected far-right extremists in the German army.