KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – German media have reported that 30 Afghan migrants were deported to Kabul on a charter flight from Leipzig Airport.
The German newspaper Bild reported that the migrants were deported early Tuesday morning, August 25.
According to the report, the group included several migrants with no criminal records who were forcibly returned to Afghanistan.
Before the aircraft carrying the migrants departed, a group of migrant rights activists gathered at Leipzig Airport to protest the deportations.
Videos released from the scene show protesters chanting, “No to deportations, refugees welcome.”
The protesters condemned the German government’s policy of forcibly deporting migrants to Afghanistan under Taliban rule and called for an end to the deportation process.
Germany has increased deportations to Afghanistan following the establishment of diplomatic contacts with the Taliban and the acceptance of two Taliban diplomats.
Germany suspended direct deportations to Afghanistan after the Taliban returned to power in 2021 and Berlin shut down its embassy in Kabul. Limited deportations of Afghan nationals convicted of crimes resumed in 2024 under former Chancellor Olaf Scholz, with those removals conducted through third countries.
Since taking office in May 2025, the current German government has made the deportation of foreign nationals convicted of crimes a key priority. German officials have held talks with Taliban representatives in Qatar and Kabul to establish regular direct deportation flights.
In mid-2025, Germany deported 81 Afghan men convicted of crimes via Qatar, marking the first such operation under the current government. In February, another 20 Afghan nationals were deported directly to Kabul following an agreement between German authorities and the Taliban.
German newspaper taz reported that Germany has deported 215 Afghan nationals since 2024, including 77 so far this year. The report said authorities are also considering the removal of Afghan nationals who have not committed crimes and are not regarded as security threats to the country.
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. Two months ago, the EU hosted a Taliban delegation in Brussels to explore arrangements for more direct deportation flights.
