KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Agence France-Presse has reported that a Taliban technical delegation is expected to travel to Brussels in the coming weeks for talks on the deportation of migrants from the European Union to Afghanistan.
The outlet wrote that the trip is being coordinated by the European Commission and several of its member states, following visits by two European officials to Afghanistan and aimed at further discussions on migrant deportations.
A diplomatic source told Agence France-Presse that the plan is to invite the Taliban delegation before the summer.
A source involved in the talks told AFP that European officials are gathering information about flights and the capacity of Kabul airport and are “discussing with the Taliban what will happen to individuals who are returned.”
Agence France-Presse reported, however, that the European Commission has not yet sent an official invitation to the delegation.
Around 20 European countries are currently exploring ways to deport Afghan migrants, particularly those who have committed crimes.s.
In a related development reported seven months earlier, Germany had also confirmed holding talks with the Taliban to facilitate the deportation of Afghan nationals from its territory.
According to Deutsche Welle (DW), German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt had stated that delegations had engaged in “technical discussions” with Taliban authorities in Qatar and that further meetings were planned to establish a system for “regular” deportations to Afghanistan.
The announcement had followed Germany’s deportation of 81 Afghan nationals in July, marking the first such operation under Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government after years of suspension due to Afghanistan’s security situation following the Taliban’s takeover in 2021.
At the time, rights groups and Afghan diaspora organizations had strongly criticized the decision, warning that returnees could face persecution or severe economic hardship.
The European Commission is preparing to host the Taliban technical delegation while its member states have not officially recognized the Taliban government and have repeatedly expressed concern over the human rights situation in Afghanistan.
This development highlights the complex balance European countries are attempting to strike between migration control and political legitimacy, as engagement with the Taliban on practical issues continues despite ongoing concerns over governance, human rights, and international recognition.
