According to the German news portal Der Spiegel, the first group of 50 German soldiers in total who are set to join the European Union's EUFOR Althea mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina should arrive in the country on Tuesday.

The spokesperson of Germany’s Operational Command in Potsdam stated that initially, a low double-digit number of German soldiers will arrive in Sarajevo. The increase in the number of soldiers should take place gradually so that “a few weeks” before the elections on October 2, all German soldiers will be present in the country.

In Sarajevo, the German soldiers will support the coordination of the training of the BiH Armed Forces. Two teams will also be present in Bosnia’s semi-autonomous Republika Srpska (RS) entity where they will exchange information with the local population.

Der Spiegel writes that “the nationalist leadership” of Republika Srpska is working towards the “secession” of the entity from BiH. In July, the Bundestag decided to allow the German military to rejoin the EU mission in Bosnia. Germany took part in the mission from 2004 to 2012.

Germany’s Foreign Affairs Ministry and Defense Ministry cited the tense domestic political situation and Russia’s influence as reasons for the country sending its soldiers to BiH.