Afghanistan Times
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KABUL — Germany has deported 81 Afghan men convicted of criminal offenses in the country, marking the second deportation flight to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan since 2021. The Qatar Airways flight departed from Leipzig-Halle Airport early Thursday morning and landed in Kabul later that day, amid growing pressure on the German government to implement stricter immigration policies.
The deportation was facilitated through cooperation with Qatar, which acted as an intermediary with the Taliban regime, as it had during the first such flight in August 2024. While Germany does not formally recognize the Taliban, officials confirmed that talks with the group are ongoing to establish a direct bilateral deportation mechanism.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt hailed the deportation as a “clear shift in migration policy,” underscoring the coalition government’s promise to remove foreign nationals who commit serious crimes. “There is no right to stay in Germany for serious offenders,” he said. Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s chief of staff, Thorsten Frei, also announced plans for “regular deportation flights to Afghanistan and Syria.”
The deportees, all adult men, had committed a range of offenses in Germany, including violent crimes. According to official data, around 11,000 Afghan nationals currently in Germany are legally required to leave the country. Germany hosts approximately 446,000 Afghans in total.
The CDU–SPD coalition included the resumption of deportations to Afghanistan in its governing agreement, reflecting growing domestic concerns over public safety and migration management. The first deportation flight in August 2024 carried 28 convicted criminals, including men involved in the rape of an 11-year-old girl in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and the gang rape of a 14-year-old girl in Baden-Württemberg.
That initial flight drew backlash from opposition parties and rights groups, who accused the SPD-led interior ministry at the time of politicizing deportations ahead of state elections. Additional criticism emerged when it was revealed that deportees had received financial stipends of up to €1,000 upon return—standard repatriation support required under German law to prevent destitution.
Despite coordinating these flights, German officials have reiterated that Berlin does not recognize the Taliban as Afghanistan’s legitimate government. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul emphasized that no formal diplomatic recognition is planned “in the foreseeable future.”
Germany is now exploring broader EU-level agreements to streamline deportations to conflict zones, with discussions underway to create external return hubs and enhance border enforcement cooperation across member states.
