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Under the microscope

December 2, 2009

The German parliament will probe the circumstances surrounding a German-ordered airstrike in Afghanistan that killed up to 142 people, including civilians. The controversy has already cost one minister his job.

https://p.dw.com/p/Knop
Afghan security officials inspect burnt oil tankers at the site of the air strike
The exact details of the September airstrike remain unclearImage: dpa

Germany's government reached an agreement with the opposition on Wednesday to review the controversial airstrike of September 4.

The parliament's standing defense committee is to be transformed temporarily into a special investigative commission to look into a German officer's decision to call in American air support to bomb two hijacked fuel tankers, out of fear that they would be used for suicide attacks.

Opposition parties and Chancellor Angela Merkel's government indicated that they could agree on the terms of reference for the probe, which would also examine allegations that the defense ministry withheld evidence of civilian casualties in the strike.

Demands for a public enquiry

The opposition has demanded that the investigation be made as public as possible, and this has at least some support from within the government.

"We will ensure that the public is involved," said Omid Nouripour, defense expert for the opposition Green Party. Elke Hoff, the defense spokesperson for the Free Democrats (FDP), the junior coalition partner in Chancellor Merkel's government, spoke of "maximum transparency."

The affair has become a major headache for the government.

Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed regret for the incident on Tuesday and in her most apologetic comments to date said Germany took responsibility for the bombing.

The incident has led to resignations

Last Friday, Franz Joseph Jung resigned from cabinet over the affair, after admitting that during his time as defense minister he had been aware of a report that suggested civilians had been killed.

In the weeks following the airstrike in Kunduz province, Jung repeatedly denied that civilians had been killed, despite the evidence in the report.

Germany's then military chief of staff, Wolfgang Schneiderhan, also stepped down.

In a bid to throw at least part of the scandal back on the opposition, the FDP wants to investigate how much the then social democrat foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, knew.

nw/Reuters/dpa
Editor: Michael Lawton

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