This video from Afghanistan is highly distressing: Jordanian ISAF soldiers assault German soldiers, pointing their weapons at them.

They drag them along the pavement and beat one of them unconscious. The recordings, which have been shared with BILD, show that the attack on members of the German armed forces was far more dangerous than previously thought.

They also suggest that the seriousness of the attack might have been downplayed – even by the German side.

► 28 December 2014, Kabul airport, at the intersection with its military zone (Abbey Gate). Over a dozen Jordanian security forces assault three soldiers serving as escorts to Hans-Lothar Domröse, then a four-star general in the Bundeswehr, the German army. The Jordanians threaten them with weapons, their safety catches off. The whole scene takes 20 minutes. Then the Jordanians leave.

German soldiers were attacked by Jordanian soldiers. Colonel O. wanted to help, but was kicked to the ground Foto: Privat

After that, NOT MUCH happened. The Ministry of Defence in Berlin talked about an “dispute”. Several media outlets, including BILD, reported the incident. A multinational investigation committee (Americans, Jordanians, and Germans) appointed by the ISAF leadership concluded that the incident was not criminally relevant. However, the available images tell a different, brutal story. German investigative authorities therefore have a different interpretation of the incident.

One of the German soldiers pressed charges. The State Office of Criminal Investigations (LKA) in Hamburg looked into the case. According to an LKA note from 13 October 2015 (made available to BILD), there is “no doubt” that the Jordanian soldiers engaged in criminal behaviour (robbery, extortion under the threat of force).

A German soldier has been beaten to the ground. A Jordanian soldier threatens him with a pistol from behind Foto: Privat

The German investigators suspect that the Jordanians even fired a shot at a German escort vehicle. Their potential motivation: revenge for an argument that took place two weeks earlier. According to the LKA documents, racism cannot be excluded as a motive, since one of the German soldiers is of Indian origin.

How could it be that the images were interpreted in such different ways? The LKA charges that the incident was “trivialized” back then for political reasons – by the investigation committee and the Bundeswehr. The shocking video was not even handed over to German authorities – allegedly for reasons of nondisclosure. It is conceivable that they wanted to downplay the incident in order to avoid tensions with ISAF partner, Jordan.

The Ministry of Defence denied these accusations when BILD enquired about them. The fact that an investigation committee was immediately appointed confirms “the significance of the incident,” a ministry spokesperson said. This is “a common multinational procedure”.

The Federal Government was not able to object to the results of the investigation but had, “as part of the investigation committee’s work, clearly expressed its disapproval concerning the Jordanian soldiers’ behaviour”.

The Ministry of Defence handed the videos over to the LKA in December, 2016 – two years after the attack on our soldiers. According to the Ministry, there had been no previous written request. The LKA document suggests otherwise.

What did Minister von der Leyen know? “The Minister of Defence knew nothing of the videos,” her spokesperson says. According to information made available to BILD, however, her state secretary did. The shocking video puts pressure on the Ministry of Defence. Following the argument about German MPs’ right to visit German soldiers in Incirlik, Turkey, the base may be relocated – to Jordan, of all places.

German Version Angriff in Afghanistan Schock-Video aufgetaucht Es ist ein Video aus Afghanistan, das fassungslos macht: Jordanische ISAF-Soldaten schlagen mit vorgehaltener Waffe auf unsere Soldaten ein.

Following the terror attack of 11 September 2001 in the US, Germany participated in the international ISAF mission to Afghanistan. For a time, Germany deployed up to 5350 soldiers to Afghanistan.

In 2014, the combat mission was transformed into an education mission. Approximately 990 soldiers are currently stationed in Afghanistan – 140 in the capital, Kabul, 850 in Camp Marmal, the extensive international base near the city of Mazar-i-Sharif.

The soldiers’ mission is to train and advise Afghan defence forces. The mandate for the Afghanistan mission will expire at the end of 2017. Overall, 56 Bundeswehr soldiers have died in Afghanistan.

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