The German military (Bundeswehr) has suffered a series of embarrassing setbacks in recent weeks, forcing politicians to come to its defence. Is it fit to fulfil Germany’s new ambitions on the world stage?
Germany's defence minister Ursula von der Leyen made a surprise trip to Iraq on Thursday, hours after the Bundeswehr started its first delivery of weapons to Kurds fighting the Islamic State (Isis).
Germany’s pledge to help with the international mission against Islamic extremists Islamic State (Isis) got off to another false start on Wednesday when a transport plane carrying arms to Iraq was hit once again with a fault.
UPDATE: Seven German military trainers, who flew to Iraq on Friday to train Kurdish fighters battling Islamic extremists Isis, have been denied permission to enter the country.
Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Sunday said Germany would not be involved in air strikes or any ground offensive in the fight against Islamic State (Isis) jihadists in Iraq.
Military trainers flew to northern Iraq from Germany on Friday, ahead of a huge delivery of weapons from the German military, but things didn’t initially go as planned.
UPDATE: An alleged German jihadist went on trial on Monday accused of fighting for the Islamic State in Syria group, amid calls for tougher action to prevent attacks in Europe by the militants.
Berlin is preparing to send around 40 soldiers to northern Iraq to train Kurdish fighters battling against militants from the Islamic State, the German army said on Saturday.
UPDATE: Germany on Friday officially banned Islamic terror group Isis from any activities in the country, warning that the jihadists, who have captured swathes of Iraq and Syria, also posed a threat to Europe.
The first shipment of German supplies has been sent on its way to support Kurdish forces in Northern Iraq, a Joint Operations Command spokesman said on Thursday.
UPDATE: Chancellor Angela Merkel addressed the Bundestag on Monday to explain her government's decision to send weapons to Iraqi Kurds fighting terrorist group Isis.
UNHCR Commissioner Antonio Guterres is lauding Germany's role in accommodating the influx of refugees in Europe, while pointing at the imbalance of effort within the EU. The federal government has pledged to do more.
Chancellor Angela Merkel described atrocities committed by Isis in Iraq as genocide on Wednesday, going further than other western leaders in her condemnation of the group.
Green Party leader Katrin Göring-Eckhardt is calling for a special session of parliament following Wednesday's announcement that Germany will break its rules and deliver weapons to an active conflict zone.
Germany is ready to send weapons to support Iraqi Kurds in their battle against the "barbaric" jihadist militants of the Islamic State, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Wednesday.
A German military flight to the conflict-addled region in northern Iraq has been delayed because Turkey denied landing permission for the layover at Incirlik airbase, according to a spokesman for the air force.
Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke out about Iraq, echoing the sentiments of her foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, that in the case of Iraq, Germany may reconsider its traditional ban on exporting weapons to active conflict zones.
Germany said on Tuesday it was ready to send non-lethal military aid such as armoured vehicles to help Iraq push back against the advance of Islamist insurgents.
German airline Lufthansa said on Monday that it is suspending flights to the Iraqi Kurdish city of Arbil "until further notice", following a review of security in Iraq.
Germany pledged €4.4 million in emergency humanitarian aid to Iraq over the weekend, but calls are growing for the country to step up its response to the crisis.
