After the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, only 222 out of around 40,000 Afghans who had gone to Germany have returned to Afghanistan with financial assistance from the German government. The German government stated that these returns took place between the beginning of 2023 and March 2026.
The German government released this information in response to a question from the Left Party in parliament, “Die Linke.” According to the information, most of those who returned were men, although in some cases women and young children were also included. In addition, eight other individuals received financial assistance to travel to a third country.
During the same period, 138 Afghans were deported from Germany to Afghanistan. It was stated that all of them were men who had been convicted of criminal offenses.
Since 2025, the federal and state governments of Germany have reactivated their joint “voluntary return” program to Afghanistan. Since then, 88 returns have been financed through this program alone.
According to Germany’s Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), around 4,500 people had benefited from the program by February. The assistance includes travel expenses, financial support for restarting life, and some medical costs.
However, Clara Bünger, a migration policy politician from the “Die Linke” party, criticized these programs and said that “voluntary return” often takes place under pressure.
She added that the financial assistance provided to returnees is not enough to ensure a stable life in a country whose economy is facing a severe crisis and where millions of people are at risk of hunger.
Writer:Saeed Sameer
