Germany Deports 22 Afghan Asylum Seekers With Criminal Records to Kabul
Germany has deported 22 Afghan asylum seekers with criminal records to Kabul on a charter flight, as Berlin intensifies its efforts to remove Afghan nationals who are legally required to leave the country.
The German Interior Ministry confirmed the deportation on Tuesday, September 1. The men were flown to Kabul from Leipzig/Halle Airport. Authorities said the deportees had been convicted of crimes committed in Germany.
The offences reportedly included murder, attempted intentional homicide, robbery, professional theft, extortion involving force, grievous bodily harm and arson. The deportees came from several German states, with authorities emphasizing that the group consisted of individuals with criminal records.
The latest flight comes just days after another group of Afghan nationals was deported from Germany. Around 30 Afghans were sent to Kabul on a charter flight from Leipzig Airport on August 25. Reports said some of those deported in that operation did not have criminal records.
Germany suspended direct deportations to Afghanistan after the Taliban returned to power in 2021 and Berlin closed its embassy in Kabul. Limited deportations of Afghan nationals convicted of crimes resumed in 2024 under the government of former Chancellor Olaf Scholz, initially through third countries.
Since the current German government took office in May 2025, deporting foreign nationals convicted of crimes has become a major priority. German authorities have also increased practical contacts with Taliban representatives in an effort to establish regular deportation flights and secure the documents needed to return Afghan nationals.
Germany maintains that its cooperation with the Taliban is limited to technical matters and does not constitute political recognition of the Taliban as Afghanistan’s legitimate government. The government has nevertheless faced criticism over its growing cooperation with Taliban authorities while concerns remain about human rights conditions in Afghanistan.