Public Witness Hearing of the 1st Committee of Inquiry “Afghanistan”
Berlin, December 2, 2024 – The 1st Committee of Inquiry “Afghanistan” of the German Bundestag today held its first public witness hearing. The hearing focused on the evacuation of German citizens and local staff from Afghanistan following the Taliban’s takeover of the country in August 2021.
The witnesses called included:
- Norbert Röttgen (CDU), Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee
- Niels Annen (SPD), Parliamentary State Secretary in the Federal Foreign Office
- Carsten Breuer, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Afghanistan
- Markus Potzel, Head of the Crisis Response Center of the Federal Foreign Office
- Holger Münch, Military Advisor for Afghanistan in the Federal Ministry of Defense
In their testimonies, the witnesses described the chaotic and challenging circumstances surrounding the evacuation. They acknowledged that the initial response was slow and inadequate, but stressed that the German government ultimately succeeded in evacuating over 5,000 people.
Röttgen criticized the Federal Foreign Office for failing to adequately prepare for a possible evacuation. He argued that the government should have foreseen the risk of a Taliban takeover and developed contingency plans.
Annen defended the government’s actions, saying that the situation in Afghanistan had changed rapidly and unexpectedly. He emphasized that the government had worked tirelessly to evacuate as many people as possible in a short amount of time.
Breuer provided a detailed account of the situation on the ground in Kabul during the evacuation. He described the scenes of desperation and chaos at the airport, as people struggled to reach the safety of evacuation flights.
Potzel outlined the logistical challenges involved in coordinating the evacuation. He said that the lack of a secure perimeter around the airport made it difficult to safely evacuate people.
Münch described the role of the Bundeswehr in the evacuation. He said that German soldiers had played a vital role in securing the airport and assisting in the evacuation of people.
The Committee of Inquiry will continue its work in the coming months, hearing from additional witnesses and gathering evidence. The Committee is expected to issue a final report in 2025, which will include recommendations for improving Germany’s response to future crises.
Öffentliche Zeugenvernehmung des 1. Untersuchungsausschusses „Afghanistan“
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