KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Germany has deported 20 Afghan nationals convicted of crimes on a direct flight to Kabul, the first such operation following an agreement with the Taliban authorities, the country’s Interior Ministry said.
As reported by Deutsche Welle (DW), the deportations were carried out on Wednesday, February 25, via a chartered flight that departed from Leipzig and landed at Kabul International Airport.
The men had been convicted of offences including assault, sexual crimes and drug-related violations in various German cities, authorities said.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt called the deportation of convicted offenders “one of the fundamental pillars of control, direction and a clear stance in migration policy.” “Our society has an interest in criminals leaving our country. For this reason, we are acting decisively and expanding the deportation process step by step,” he added.
Germany halted deportations to Afghanistan and closed its embassy in Kabul after the Taliban returned to power in 2021. Deportations of convicted Afghans resumed in 2024 under the previous government led by Olaf Scholz, with 28 sent via third countries.
The current government, which took office in May 2025, has made direct deportations of Afghan criminals a priority and held talks with the Taliban in Qatar and Kabul to enable regular flights.
In mid-2025, authorities deported 81 convicted Afghan men in an operation coordinated through Qatar, the first deportation under the current government.
