Germany Moves Towards Regular Deportation Flights to Afghanistan
Berlins: Germany is reportedly nearing an agreement with the Taliban government in Afghanistan to increase the frequency of deportation flights. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt shared this update in an interview released on Saturday.
Since Chancellor Friedrich Merz took office in May, he has vowed to expedite the deportation of Afghan asylum seekers who have committed crimes in Germany. However, the plan has raised concerns because Germany does not officially recognize the Taliban administration in Kabul.
Dobrindt mentioned that talks about more regular flights are “very advanced” and expressed confidence that an agreement will come soon. “We intend to carry out regular deportations, which will include both charter and commercial flights,” he noted.
In recent years, Germany has conducted only two deportation flights with convicted Afghan nationals since 2021, returning 81 individuals this July and 28 last year. The flights were arranged with the help of Qatar, acting as a mediator.
Last month, the German interior ministry confirmed that they are in direct talks with Taliban officials in Kabul. Dobrindt noted that ministry staff engaged in “technical discussions” to arrange the deportation flights.
The conservative minister expressed his determination to make the deportations happen, suggesting he might even travel to Afghanistan to facilitate the process. He also mentioned a desire to extend similar efforts to Syrian nationals.
Merz’s government is hoping that a stricter immigration policy will help counter the rising influence of far-right parties in Germany, which are currently gaining ground in recent polls.
