Terror in West Africa: Kramp-Karrenbauer for more robust mandate of the Bundeswehr in Mali

Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer has spoken out in favor of a broader mandate for the Bundeswehr in the southern Sahara. The French military is already in the Sahel zone "with a much more robust order," said the CDU politician in an interview with the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung". France fulfills this so that the Bundeswehr and civil organizations could build something there safely. Germany's partners in America and Europe, meanwhile, asked whether this division of labor could remain. Germany should not duck away in this region.

Germany would have to consider "whether we want to ensure stability on the spot in our own interest and whether the Bundeswehr does not need a more robust training mandate here on the side of our allies". A major hub for terrorism, organized crime, migration and human trafficking is emerging in the Sahel. She herself did not want to imagine what inactivity could have: "Then you would have to put walls and barbed wire all over Europe."

Bundeswehr is preparing further operations

The Minister of Defense has repeatedly campaigned for Germany's greater involvement in crisis regions such as Mali in the past few weeks - and has always referred to earlier statements by German politicians that Germany should assume more responsibility. However, Berlin "has not always lived up to this". In the past few years, said Kramp-Karrenbauer, "we have often not acted actively enough: we have been deployed when we have been asked - sometimes we have been more involved, sometimes less".

Arne Immanuel Bänsch / DPA

Defense Minister Kramp-Karrenbauer (CDU during her visit to Mali in October

SPIEGEL already reported in November that the Bundeswehr was preparing for further missions, including in Mali: Consideration would be given, among other things, to sending a frigate to the South China Sea or the strait between Taiwan and mainland China. The plans for Mali were more specific: According to SPIEGEL information, France has asked Germany to help build a new command unit in Mali. As part of the "Tacouba" mission - sabers - Malian soldiers are to be trained as special forces from next year. Up to 500 German soldiers of the Bundeswehr could be dispatched for the German contribution, including trainers of the "Special Forces Command".

• A detailed analysis of the plans for West Africa can be found at SPIEGEL +: Does Kramp-Karrenbauer send special workers to Mali?

France is fighting "Barkhane" against Islamist terrorists in Mali and other countries in the Sahel. The group includes around 4,500 soldiers. Up to 1100 Bundeswehr soldiers are also deployed in Mali. They are part of the largely ineffective UN mission to stabilize the country (Minusma) and the EU training mission EUTM Mali. A number of armed groups are active in the countries of the Sahel region - an area that extends south of the Sahara from the Atlantic to the Red Sea.

The French contingent is specifically used to combat Islamist terror groups. In contrast, the Bundestag's mandate does not include participation in counter-terrorism operations.

REUTERS / Benoit Tessier

French helicopter lands in Ndaki (archive photo)

The Sahel state of Mali has not come to rest for years. The West African country is repeatedly attacked by terrorist groups with links to al-Qaida and the IS militia. One of the most serious attacks in recent months has killed more than 50 soldiers at a military base in Indelimane near the Niger border.

• A report on the situation in Mali and the terrorist threat can be found here: Tongo Tongo dies