Germany has intensified its policy of deporting Afghan nationals, while reports indicate that individuals with no criminal record in the country may also face removal. At the same time, the German government has announced that it has deported 87 Afghan citizens over the past six months, with more than €1.06 million spent on transporting 77 of them through three charter flights.
The German newspaper taz reported on Wednesday, 8 July, that at least five Afghan nationals with no criminal history are being held in special deportation detention facilities in the states of Bavaria and Hesse. Citing refugee councils in several German states, the newspaper reported that these individuals were detained by the Federal Police upon returning to Germany from foreign trips.
According to the report, the cases of these individuals follow a similar pattern: all of them entered the deportation process after being subjected to border checks. Meanwhile, organisations supporting refugees have reported a shift in the approach of German authorities toward Afghan nationals, although the German Interior Ministry has rejected this claim.
Following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, Germany suspended deportations to Afghanistan due to security concerns and the human rights situation in the country. The process resumed in 2024, but initially applied only to individuals who had committed crimes or were considered a threat to public security. However, under an agreement among the governing coalition parties, the government is now seeking to expand this policy to include people without criminal records.
In response to questions from representatives of the Left Party in the German parliament, the government stated that between 1 January 2026 and 19 June 2026, a total of 87 Afghan nationals had been deported from Germany. Of these, 77 were transferred to Afghanistan on three charter flights, while the remaining 10 were sent on regular commercial flights. The government said the cost of operating the three charter flights exceeded €1.06 million.
The government’s response also stated that deportation orders are carried out by Germany’s federal states, while the federal government is responsible for coordinating and supporting the process. German authorities have confirmed that technical meetings and discussions have been held with representatives of the Taliban regarding identity verification, passport issuance, and the preparation of travel documents.
Berlin has stressed that these contacts are solely intended to facilitate deportations and do not constitute recognition of the Taliban government. The government has also rejected reports that money was paid to the Taliban in exchange for cooperation in deportation procedures, stating that the Federal Police has not provided any payments to the group.
However, the government has declined to disclose details of certain meetings, including a gathering held at the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) building in Bonn, citing state interests and security considerations. The meeting drew public attention after German media reported that some Afghan nationals had met with Taliban representatives for identity verification and the issuance of travel documents.
Clara Bünger, a member of the German parliament from the Left Party, has accused the government of concealing the extent of its cooperation with the Taliban, saying that a significant amount of information about these contacts has been withheld from parliament and the public.
Recent developments indicate that Germany’s migration policy toward Afghan nationals has entered a new phase. If implemented, the decision would mark the first time since the Taliban’s return to power that deportations of Afghan citizens without criminal records become part of Berlin’s official policy a move that has drawn criticism from refugee rights organisations and several German politicians.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
