Germany Deports 25 Afghan Nationals Convicted of Serious Crimes in Latest Charter Flight to Kabul

BERLIN – Germany deported 25 Afghan nationals convicted of serious crimes to Kabul late Tuesday night, marking the latest in a series of charter flights aimed at repatriating foreign offenders. According to German authorities, all 25 individuals had been issued binding removal orders after being convicted of offenses including manslaughter, rape, aggravated assault, and drug-related crimes.

The move underscores a significant hardening of Germany’s migration and security policies, which have shifted to prioritize public safety over the traditional reluctance to deport individuals to conflict-affected regions. Following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, Germany had largely suspended deportations to Afghanistan, citing security concerns. However, a growing political consensus on combating violent crime has reversed that stance.

Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described the flight as part of a “regular and systematic” effort to remove convicted criminals, calling it a central pillar of the government’s migration policy shift.

“People who have abused our protection and committed crimes here must leave our country,” Dobrindt said in a statement. He added that Berlin would continue to expand deportations in a “gradual and consistent manner,” signaling that further flights are planned in the coming weeks.

The deportation was made possible by an agreement between Germany’s Interior Ministry and Afghanistan’s de facto Taliban-led authorities, which has enabled the resumption of regular repatriation flights. German officials have stressed that the arrangement is strictly limited to convicted criminals and does not signal broader political recognition of the Taliban government.

The policy also fulfills a commitment laid out in the governing coalition’s agreement, which called for facilitating ongoing removals to Afghanistan under specific security protocols. Human rights groups have criticized the move, raising concerns about the potential risk of persecution or unsafe conditions for deportees upon arrival in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. However, German officials maintain that each case is individually reviewed and that the deportees have no legal grounds to remain in the country.

This latest flight follows a similar operation in August, when Germany deported 28 Afghan nationals — the first such flight since the Taliban takeover. With Tuesday’s deportation, the total number of Afghan offenders sent back this year now exceeds 50, with authorities vowing to continue the practice as part of a broader crackdown on serious crime among asylum seekers and migrants.

Our Pashto-Dari Website

  Donate Here