After attack in Kabul: Police union calls for stop of Afghanistan mission

The union of the police (GdP) warns Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer urgently against a continuation of the German police training mission in Afghanistan.

"The German training program in Kabul should be immediately suspended because the security situation is currently so delicate that in a continuation, the safety of officials at stake," said GdP chairman Oliver Malchow the SPIEGEL.

With sharp words, the police union responded to plans by the Interior Ministry to continue the mission to train Afghan officials after a serious attack on the project's office and the accommodations of the German police. After a terror attack on the "Green Village" complex on 2 September, most of the officials had initially left. Nevertheless, the ministry wants to restart the mission quickly.

In recent weeks, there has been heated disagreement between the Federal Police, which together with the countries provides the trainers for the so-called "German Police Project Team" (GPPT), and the Ministry. When, on the instructions of the Ministry at the end of last week, some officials were to return to Kabul, the Federal Police intervened vigorously, but the departure was then canceled.

Security situation in Kabul remains critical

The Ministry made an effort to downplay the dispute between political officials in the Ministry and practitioners at the Federal Police after receiving a corresponding SPIEGEL report. In a message sent as a breaking news, it was alleged that the departure of the police had been canceled for "organizational reasons", this had been done in agreement with the Federal Police.

The union argues, similar to the federal police, with the precarious security situation in Kabul. "Our colleagues escaped with only a hair's breadth at the last attack," said GdP boss Malchow. Since all international forces are currently targets of the Taliban, similar attacks threatened at any time as on the residential complex "Green Village" at the beginning of September.

The attack in early September was professionally organized. After a car bomb attack at the gate of the heavily secured housing complex, gunmen rushed in and could only be switched off after long battles. The day after, a furious mob protested in front of the homes of many foreign organizations, incendiary devices flew, and almost all the police mission's armored jeeps went up in flames.

Federal Minister of the Interior Seehofer sticks to mission

Federal Interior Minister Seehofer always said in the days following the attack that the safety of German officials was a top priority. Nevertheless, the CSU politician decided that Germany would continue the mission. According to unofficial information from his ministry also plays a role that the officials of the mission in Kabul be used to handle the arrival of the now regular deportation flights on the spot.

The GdP chief warned the Interior Department to continue the mission only because of the smooth running of deportation. "Politicians would be well advised to give priority to the safety of German policemen over the interest in continuing to allow deportations," Malchow said.

The next deportation flight from Munich to Kabul is planned for SPIEGEL information for the 8th of October.