Ex-German soldiers allegedly try to start mercenary force in Yemen

Two former German soldiers have been charged with terrorism for allegedly seeking to start a mercenary force to fight in the Yemeni civil war. 

The two men, identified as Arend-Adolf G. and Achim A., were arrested on “suspicion” of attempting to establish a terrorist organization, federal German prosecutors said in a press release Wednesday. 

The accused both previously served in the German army and planned to create a fighting force of other former soldiers and police officers. Their goal was to deploy to Yemen to “pacify” the war-torn country and force negotiations between the Houthi rebels and the government. The pair sought donors from Saudi Arabia, including from the Saudi government, but they did not receive a response, Germany’s state-owned news outlet Deutsche Welle reported. 

Yemen has been embroiled in a brutal civil war since 2014 between the Iran-backed Houthis and the Saudi-backed government. Both sides have been accused of war crimes. The violence has also spilled over into neighboring Saudi Arabia.