The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) was established in April of 2013 as an eventual response to the armed domestic conflict that arose in northern Mali one year prior in 2012. Demanding further autonomy and independence from Mali’s Bamako-centric government, several armed groups including islamist factions as well as the Tuareg-formed „National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad“ (MNLA) joined forces and started an insurgency in the country’s north aiming to establish the „Independent State of Azawad“. A power vacuum following the coup d’état against then President Amadou Toumani Touré in march 2012 further destabilized the country’s security situation, allowing insurgents to seize northern Mali’s three key cities Gao, Timbuktu and Kidal. In early April, roughly two weeks after the coup d’état, the MNLA declared the Independent State of Azawad. Islamist rebel groups fighting alongside the MNLA, foremost Ansar Dine which was believed to have ties to Al-Qaeda, gained control over large parts of the region when discrepancies about the imposition of Sharia law lead to fighting between the groups. In January 2013, the French Government decided to intervene and launched Operation Serval (superseded by Operation Barkhane in 2014), in order to assist the Malian Government in re-taking the north from the hands of islamists. As of 2022, MINUSMA and it’s 13.000 Blue Helmets are supposed to support political processes in Mali and assist the transitional authorities in stabilizing the country.  Germany’s involvement includes up to 1.100 troops that are mainly based in „Camp Castor“ in Gao. In summer 2021, I deployed with German Air Force Regiment's Bravo-Platoon, 2nd Squadron, as part of the contingent’s Force Protection element. On the 25th of June, 2021, the Platoon was part of a reconnaissance operation hit by a Suicide Vehicle Born Improvised Explosive Devise (SVBIED) near Tarkint, approx. 180 km north of Gao. 13 UN peacekeepers were wounded in the attack that was linked to the Al-Qaida affiliate JNIM (Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin’), a successor of Ansar Dine. It marked the first attack of its kind against German peacekeepers in Mali in the eight years since the start of the mission. Part of these photos were taken for several diary-style stories I did for the German Army as well as the German Air Force.

(Deutsche Welle - 2017) In 1978, excavators started digging for brown coal in the Hambach open surface mine. They dug their way through hundreds of meters of ground, ancient forest, villages and ultimately through thousands of people’s lives. The story takes a look at the impact the brown coal mining has on individuals. Operating on an area of 85 square kilometers, the size of almost 12.000 soccer fields, the Hambach open surface mine is today considered one of the largest manmade holes in Europe. It is one of four major mining sites in the “Rheinische Braunkohlerevier” (rhenish brown coal basin) which is predominantly operated by RWE Power AG. With millions of cubic meters of excavated brown coal, the mines ensured a steady supply of fossil fuel essential for the country’s reconstruction and booming economy and vital for thousands of employees. Today, Germany remains the world’s number one producer of brown coal - also known as lignite - where it makes up around a quarter of the country’s power production. But as climate change became undeniable and catastrophes like Chernobyl and Fukushima fueled the demand for environmentally sustainable energy sources, its persistence is controversial and a contradiction.

Animal conservation in Europe (Deutsche Welle - 2017) The treetops are shaking, as Mal joyfully wrestles with a delicate tree on a lush green hillside not far from Kosovo’s capital Pristina. The bear who spent the majority of his life inside inappropriate concrete housing is one of 19 bears currently taken care of in the Bear Sanctuary Prishtina. The sanctuary, which was established by Four Paws, the Kosovar Ministry of Environment as well as the municipality of Pristina, is a 16-hectare preserve located in a green valley near Lake Badovc. The compound is divided into several big permanent enclosures that aim to recreate the living conditions of the wild. The enclosures therefore feature several dens, forest areas, shade-providing underbrush and ponds. Brown bears are among the world’s largest carnivores and fully grown animals have few natural enemies… Except for humans, who have extensively contributed to a decline in their numbers by hunting them and robbing them of their habitat. Today’s worldwide population of brown bears is estimated to lie between 185,000 and 200,000 animals. As such, unlike other bear species, the International Union for Conservation of Nature does not consider brown bears to be at risk of worldwide extinction and lists them as being of  "least-concern".   In the outskirts of Pristina, traces of the dubious mistreatment of bears as attractions for restaurants are still evident. Visible from the highway, a big advertising panel depicting the silhouette of a bear leads to a restaurant. Just next to the restaurant’s parking lot is a battered cage. Not long ago, guests were greeted here by a group of five bears, kept in a space not even adequate for one. In June 2013, after finishing the construction of some of the first enclosures, Four Paws began the evacuation of privately kept bears, including the five from the aforementioned restaurant. In conjunction with the Kosovar Police and NATO peacekeepers, a total of 16 bears were rescued. All of them are now taken care of at the reserve. Upon arrival, all bears are sterilized to prevent reproduction for the simple reason that the site is not a zoo but a place where rescued bears can live in conditions closer to their natural needs. Bears roam and can have a home range of several hundred square kilometers. Given that some 53 percent of Kosovo’s 10,900 m² expanse is given over to agriculture, plus factoring in population and livestock density in rural areas, it is likely that a release into the wild would result in human-wildlife conflict. Surveys conclude that the actual economic damage caused by wild bears is often less significant than that caused by other wild animals, still interference with humans is reasonably considered a threat for both and therefore meets little acceptance. As of today, there are no more privately kept bears in Kosovo and the continuous promotion and awareness of animal rights in Eastern European countries is finding fertile soil.

(Buzzfeed News - 2016) “Europe is good. But this is “scheisse” [german: shit],” says Mohammed, while he wanders through a recently evicted area that formerly held his housing in the informal refugee camp in Calais, France. He is one of the many refugees surprised by the unexpectedly high amount of aggression and violence regularly perpetrated by police. A look on the ground gives a first idea of what he is talking about: Tear- and CS-gas canisters, Shotgun shells, rubber bullets. The sandy ground of Calais’ Jungle is littered with evidence of police activity. Security around the camp, the Eurotunnel and the port of Calais were further tightened after a new deal between the UK and France about measures was brokered in August 2015. In addition to the already pledged funding announced earlier that year including a 9 million Euro payment for building razor-wired security fences, the new deal declared the Britain’s further monetary support for France’s efforts to prevent the illegal flow of refugees to the UK. The latest deal consists of an annual payment of 5M Euros over two years in order to increase police presence, deploy additional freight vehicle search teams as well as to expand security by building additional fencing and installing new detection technology and surveillance. Contrary to a police statement by the spokesman of the Calais prefecture, Steve Barbet, saying that police “do not use teargas without a good reason and use of teargas has to be authorized and it is only authorized when it is necessary.[…] It is not in our interest to use teargas unless it’s absolutely necessary to restore public order, and it is never used in the camp itself,” refugees and volunteers report frequent and uncontrolled use of teargas and other less-lethal-weapons around as well as inside the camp. According to Dominique Bernard, project-coordinator for the medical aid organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Calais, “there is an increasing amount of injuries caused by police. The use of tear gas and rubber bullets is a big problem, especially inside the camp. People get hit everywhere on the body.” Having worked in different hot spots around the world including the DRC, CAR, Haiti, Chad, and Ethiopia, Bernard says the humanitarian situation for refugees in Calais isn’t any different “The climate is different, here it rains… everything else is pretty much the same.” As of March 2016, over 6500 people are believed to be living in the “jungle” of Calais. For most of the inhabitants, life in the camp is a constant state of uncertainty as they are dependent on the mercy of French authorities. On the 25th of February, a French court approved the eviction of large parts of the camp. About two-thirds of the camp’s expanse was declared to be cleared, meaning the loss of shelter for thousands of refugees. Many inhabitants feel there is an anti-migrant sentiment already established amongst police and report of repetitive extrajudicial violence they encounter.

European migrant crisis in France (AlJazeera English - 2015) Over the course of 2015, the influx of refugees seeking shelter in Europe climaxed to a never before encountered level. As much as the reasons for their journeys differ, may they be fleeing from war, poverty, violence or oppression, they all have one thing in common – they travel by foot. Distances that in the modern age are easily covered by plane or other types of transport become a major struggle. A four hour flight becomes the journey of months. And apart from that, authorities and politics further complicate their life. Most of the refugees in northern France wish to further continue to the UK. Yet, with an increasing number of border security from both the French and the British side, including newly erected fences surrounding port, highway and tracks, many are stranded in the makeshift refugee camps in Dunkirk and Calais. What for most refugees was meant as a mere place of transit slowly transforms into a permanent a place of stay. As of mid-December 2015, the ever-growing camp in Grande-Synthe near Dunkirk, has approximately 2.500 to 3.000 inhabitants. Despite its increasing soze, the camps witnesses little to no support by national authorities or international organizations. The majority of help comes from small NGOs and volunteers or even from the refugees themselves. Many inhabitants came from the camp in Calais but chose to rather try their luck in the much less developed but presumably safer camp in Grande-Synthe. The camp in Grande-Synthe lies on a stretch of land surrounded by the local football stadium and a tidy suburban neighborhood. A place that was formerly designated to become an eco-village. The contrast between the prevalent conditions inside and the bourgeois scenery outside the camp seems almost surreal. The mud-covered sidewalk in front of the camp gives a foretaste of what one finds on the inside. Lately, courageous volunteers from Belgium and Britain started constructing several shelters and even built a house for kids to play in. Though there are rumors that the government is currently planning the relocation of the camp to a yet unknown destination. In cooperation with MSF, the French government offered financial backup for the building of a more suitable and staffed camp. Note: The story's photos and words depict the situation in mid December 2015. Things have changed since then and from what I have experienced on further trips to northern France, they continue to do so week by week.

Euromaidan demonstrations in Ukraine Kiev, January 2014. At -20 °Celsius temperatures, anti-government protesters and Ukrainian police preserve a tense status quo, few days after 4 protesters died during escalations. While the days pass off mostly calm with the situation heating up from time to time, the tensions erupt in the course of night resulting in violent clashes. Starting in November 2013, for months thousands of Ukrainians gathered on Maidan Square to demonstrate against President Yanukowitsch’s administration. In January 2014, the demonstrations escalated on Kiev’s Hrushevskoho street with police firing live rounds leaving several wounded and, depending on different sources, four to seven dead. A tense status quo with ongoing clashes and protesters occupying several administrational buildings was preserved until the 18th of February 2014, when police-forces moved in to clear Majdan Square. On February 21st, after three days of intense fighting, hundreds of wounded and 80 dead on both sides, an agreement between president Yanukowitsch and opposition leaders Jazenjuk,Tjahnybok and Klitschko to end the extreme violence was achieved. On the 26th of February, Arseni Jazenjuk was voted head of the provisional government. Presidential elections were agreed to be held on the 25th of May 2014. The disagreement throughout the country led to the Crimean Crisis with the Republic of Crimea declaring independence from Ukraine and Russia claiming Crimea’s accession to the Russian Federation. Since March 2014, pro-Russian protests in Donetzk and Luhansk oblasts have escalated and turned into a full-scale conflict between Russian-backed separatists and the Ukrainian government in the Donbass region. As previously agreed and despite the ongoing conflict, Ukrainian Presidential elections were carried out on the 25th of May 2014. The elections weren’t held in the now Russian-annexed Crimean Peninsula. In the Donbass region, the election faced rejection and massive disruption by Pro-Russian separatists resulting in only 20% of the ballot stations being opened. With a majority of 54,7 %, Petro Poroshenko aka. ‘the Chocolate-King’, a businessman and former Minister of Foreign Affairs (2009-2010) and Minister of Trade and Economic Development (2012), was elected President of Ukraine. In July 2014, the Ukrainian military started an ongoing counter insurgency offensive during which Ukrainian Armed Forces managed to retake several cities and outposts occupied by Pro-Russian separatists. On the 17th of July, a civilian Malaysia Airlines passenger jet was shot down over Eastern Ukraine leaving all 298 passengers and crew on board dead. It is not yet clear which side fired the surface-to-air-missile. As of December 2015, after one and a half years the armed conflict between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian separatists is still going on. Despite an official truce, both sides regularly break the ceasefire resulting in a rising number of casualties.

Syrian civil war Kilis, September 2013. By now, the Syrian revolution has turned into a civil war. More than 2.000.000 Syrians have left their country. 492.000 fled to turkey. Despite two major UNHCR-led refugee camps in Kilis province, the vast majority of Syrian refugees is on its own living in makeshift camps and housings like the Ekrem Cetin Mosque. Of the estimated 45.000 refugees in Kilis, only one third finds shelter in the official camps, the other 31.000 people are on their own. One refugee states the number of those living here to be 800 to 900 people. In another inofficial camp about one kilometer down south, there are said to be 2000. Whether those number are correct or rather an expression of desperation, I cannot judge. It is a fact, however, that here, a very large number of people have to share a very limited amount of space. Viewed from the outside, the courtyard seems to be bursting with tents. Tents, fashioned from anything that might offer protection: tarps, cardboard, plastic bags. The entire area is covered by a network of ropes. Many of the tents are not waterproof and do not sufficiently shield from the elements. Those living here do not know how long they may have to stay. There is no certainty about if or when they might be transfered to a larger camp. Everyone fears having to spend the looming winter here. The constant state of limbo is draining. Many almost consider heading back to Syria. But the situation there has not improved either, in fact, the developments of the last weeks have only made it even more dangerous. Over the course of the most recent battles over the border town of Azaz in Northern Syria, the border has been closed. Help hardly reaches those who need it. Most of the camp’s inhabitants are from the regions of Idlib and Aleppo and reached Turkey about two months ago. In the beginning, they were told that they would be moved to one of the big refugee camps. One and a half months later however, they have now come to settle in the mosque’s courtyard. This may be a minor improvement, but remains a small comfort amidst the desolation of their situation. According to them, apart from the few blue plastic tarps, none of the promised aid has reached them. Kitchen facilities are not available, all cooking has to be carried out over open fire outside the mosque. It is the women and children that are truly admirable. Despite of everything, they manage to retain their humanity; they laugh and joke, are interested and hospitable. They don’t seem to be focused on their loss. Rather than trying to convince me of their – without a doubt terrible – fate, they just seem happy about seeing an unfamiliar face, something new. I get invited for tea, asked to sit with them. Touched and humbled, I have no choice but to take them up on their offer and to look into their friendly faces for a little longer.