Hitler salutes, pig head tossing tarnish Germany’s elite KSK force
- Germany to seek a drastic overhaul of KSK commando unit because of right-wing extremism among its ranks
- Suspicions that some members harbour far-right sympathies have plagued force in recent years
Germany’s defence minister said Tuesday she had ordered the partial dissolution of the elite KSK commando force, which has come under growing criticism over right-wing extremism in its ranks.
The KSK had “become partially independent” from the chain of command, with a “toxic leadership culture”, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper.
Created in 1996, the elite commando force consists of some 1,400 soldiers charged with sensitive and risky missions such as hostage rescue operations or anti-terror action abroad.
But suspicions that some members harbour far-right sympathies have plagued the force in recent years, even as Germany has been hit by a wave of extreme-right violence including deadly attacks on migrants, Jewish people and politicians.
Kramp-Karrenbauer set up a working group in May to tackle the problem, which on Tuesday presented her with a report on its findings.
The KSK “cannot continue to exist in its current form” and must be “better integrated into the Bundeswehr”, said the report.