Germany on Friday deported Afghan nationals to their homeland for the first time since August 2021, when the Taliban regained power.
Government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit said the 28 Afghan nationals were convicted criminals but did not further clarify regarding their offenses. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser labeled the move as a security concern for Germany.
Since Germany lacks diplomatic relations with the Taliban, the government has had to use alternative channels. It is unlikely that this deportation will lead to a broader improvement in relations between Germany and the Taliban, especially following the recent implementation of laws in Afghanistan aimed at preventing vice and promoting virtue. These laws mandate that women conceal their face, body, and voice when outside the home.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has criticized these morality laws in posts on X.
Deportations planned for months
Hebestreit indicated that the deportations had been planned for months, but they occurred a week after a fatal knife attack in Solingen, where the suspect, a Syrian citizen who had sought asylum in Germany, was involved. The suspect, who was supposed to be deported to Bulgaria last year, had reportedly disappeared and avoided deportation. He was ordered held on Sunday on suspicion of murder and membership in a terrorist organization, pending further investigation and a potential indictment.
The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for the attack, although no evidence was provided. The extremist group stated on its news site that the attacker targeted Christians and carried out the assaults “to avenge Muslims in Palestine and everywhere.” This claim has not been independently verified.
Immigration has also been a topic of debate ahead of regional elections on Sunday in Germany’s Saxony and Thuringia regions, where anti-immigration parties like the populist Alternative for Germany are anticipated to perform well. In June, Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged that Germany would resume deporting criminals from Afghanistan and Syria following a knife attack by an Afghan immigrant that resulted in one police officer’s death and injuries to four others.
On Thursday, Faeser announced a plan to strengthen knife laws. Alongside other officials in the governing coalition, she also committed to making deportations more straightforward during a news conference.
Qatar facilitated communications between Berlin and Taliban
A chartered Qatar Airways flight heading for Kabul departed from Leipzig airport shortly before 5:00 GMT with 28 Afghan nationals onboard. According to the reports, the deportation was the result of two months of “secret negotiations,” with Qatar facilitating communications between Berlin and the Taliban authorities. Hebestreit indicated that Germany had sought assistance from key regional partners to enable the deportations, though further details were not provided.
Germany had completely halted deportations to Afghanistan and closed its embassy in Kabul following the Taliban’s rise to power in 2021. The deportation on Friday comes amid increasing pressure on the German government to address illegal migration and to take stronger measures against dangerous and convicted asylum seekers, in light of a series of high-profile crimes committed by migrant suspects.
A knife attack that intensified debate on migration
Germany is still dealing with the aftermath of a knife attack at a street festival in Solingen last week, which resulted in three deaths. The attack was allegedly carried out by a 26-year-old Syrian man with ties to the Islamic State group. This suspect was scheduled for deportation to Bulgaria weeks ago, but the process failed because authorities were unable to locate him.
The brutal murder of a police officer by a 25-year-old Afghan suspect has intensified pressure on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to adopt a stricter approach to migration, just days before a European election where the far right is anticipated to gain significant ground.
In a speech to parliamentarians on Thursday, Scholz committed to deporting migrants from Afghanistan and Syria who have committed crimes, despite the repressive nature of the governments in these countries.
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A stricter approach to migration
Scholz expressed his outrage over individuals who, having found protection in Germany, commit serious crimes. He stated that such criminals should be deported, regardless of their origin from Syria or Afghanistan.
This is not the first instance of Germany’s chancellor promising a more stringent stance on migration. Earlier in the year, the ruling coalition—comprising Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD), the Greens, and the Free Democratic Party (FDP)—enacted a law designed to facilitate the deportation of migrants with rejected asylum claims.
Nonetheless, executing these deportations remains challenging in practice. Germany halted deportations to Afghanistan in 2021 following the Taliban’s return to power. Syria, under Bashar al-Assad, continues to face severe human rights abuses.
The political repercussions of the Afghan national’s violent act last week have prompted Scholz to pursue a tougher approach to deportations, despite the difficulties in enacting such measures. The suspect, who arrived in Germany in 2014 and had his asylum claim rejected, appeared to be driven by Islamist extremism.
Calls for adherence to international law
Amnesty International’s Germany office has addressed the deportation of Afghan nationals to their home country, stating that no one is safe in Afghanistan. They have emphasized that adherence to international law is crucial, noting that extrajudicial executions, disappearances, and torture are prevalent in Afghanistan. They warned that if the German government proceeds with deportations, it risks becoming an accomplice to the Taliban.
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