BERLIN – Germany's military has suspended two soldiers from duty in connection with photos of service members posing with skulls in Afghanistan, Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung said Friday.
The pictures published in the top-selling Bild daily provoked widespread expressions of disgust among politicians, and calls to improve training for foreign deployments.
Bild says the pictures were taken in early 2003; they show soldiers posing with the skull on the hood of their vehicle and one soldier holding the skull next to his exposed genitals.
Jung said that three other soldiers were under investigation in connection with more photos published by the RTL television channel and reportedly taken in 2004.
The military's top training official was being sent to Afghanistan to review the motivation and discipline of the German soldiers there, Jung said at a press conference.
"Our interest is in getting clarity as soon as possible," he said.
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