The decision taken by the Bundeswehr after a policeman accidentally shot a German soldier taking part in a military exercise near Munich
Unintelligible scenes at a Bundeswehr exercise. The police started shooting at the German soldiers who were simulating an attack against NATO PHOTO: KARL-JOSEF HILDENBRAND / AFP / Profimedia
The German army (Bundeswehr) announced on Thursday that it will continue the military exercise in the state of Bavaria, despite the incident of the previous day in which a soldier was injured in an exchange of fire with the police, informs the DPA news agency.
The incident took place after the police had been alerted by the locals of Erding, a small town near Munich, who reported the presence of armed people, but who were actually soldiers participating in the exercise.
The “Marshal Power” military exercise program simulates fighting behind the front lines in the scenario of an attack on a NATO member country.
The peculiarity of this exercise is that it takes place in public spaces, unlike classic military maneuvers, which are organized in delimited polygons. Also, in this exercise, which is organized in 12 districts of Bavaria, in addition to the military, policemen, firefighters and members of the emergency services take part, notes Agerpres.
Unintelligible scenes at the Bundeswehr exercise
Concerned locals in the German town of Erding, one of the locations where the exercise is taking place, alerted the police on Wednesday after spotting armed men wearing camouflage uniforms.
German police intervened on the scene and, not knowing that those gunmen were actually soldiers, opened fire on them with live ammunition.
The military also fired, but only with the maneuver ammunition they were equipped with for the exercise. A soldier was slightly wounded by gunfire, with no other casualties reported.
Military exercise, ended with gunfire and casualties. How the police in a German city ended up shooting at soldiers who were simulating an attack
“I didn't know there were exercises going on there at the time,” said a police spokesman, who added that “Erding police were not involved in the exercise.” It was a “deficiency in communication”, the same spokesman explained.
“Marshal Power” continues through October 29
The German army announced on Thursday that, despite this incident which “is currently being analyzed by the responsible authorities and the Bundeswehr in close cooperation”, the military exercise “Marshal Power” will continue as planned until October 29.
This program includes testing a variety of operations, such as armed actions on country roads, in the urban environment or in the headquarters of some companies, as well as the use of drones, anti-drone combat and the protection of critical infrastructures.
The Bundeswehr had announced a few days before that “Marshal Power” was one of the largest and most complex military exercises in Bavaria in recent years. Among other things, cooperation with the civil forces in the area was practiced.
