KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The German government is preparing to deport Afghan nationals who have committed no crimes and are not considered security threats, according to a report by the German newspaper taz.
The report, published on Wednesday, identified at least five such Afghan men currently held in detention centers awaiting removal. Four of the men are in custody in the southern state of Bavaria, while another is detained in Hesse. None have prior convictions, according to taz.
The individuals came to the attention of authorities after temporarily leaving Germany. Two were returned under the European Union’s Dublin rules, while others were detained attempting to re-enter the country, taz said.
Refugee organizations told taz that there are signs that German authorities have toughened their approach toward Afghan nationals in recent weeks, even in cases that would not traditionally lead to deportation.
Germany’s Federal Ministry of the Interior has not publicly commented on the specific cases or the taz report.
Germany halted all deportations to Afghanistan following the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021, when Berlin closed its embassy in Kabul due to safety concerns. Limited returns of convicted criminals resumed in 2024 under the previous government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz, with 28 individuals sent via third countries such as Qatar.
According to the report, since the resumption, German authorities have conducted five separate deportation operations to Afghanistan, removing a total of 215 Afghan nationals, the newspaper said. So far this year, 77 Afghans have been deported. One operation, about three weeks ago, used a chartered aircraft at a cost of around €350,000 for a single day to return 30 migrants, escorted by 92 police officers.
The development reflects a broader policy shift across parts of the European Union, where several member states have intensified efforts to deport rejected asylum seekers and convicted individuals. Last month, the EU hosted a Taliban delegation in Brussels to explore arrangements for more direct deportation flights.
The engagement with the Taliban and resumption of forced return have drawn sharp criticism from members of the European Parliament, United Nations experts, and human rights organizations. Critics argue that direct cooperation risks legitimizing a regime accused of widespread human rights violations, particularly severe restrictions on the rights of women and girls. They also maintain that Afghanistan remains unsafe for forced returns due to ongoing repression, instability, and a severe humanitarian crisis.
