A report indicates that the German government has struck a deal with the Taliban to conduct regular flights aimed at returning Afghan nationals to Afghanistan.
This initiative is seen as part of Germany’s efforts to enhance the deportation process for Afghans who have been convicted of serious crimes in various European nations.
The newspaper Bild Sonntag stated that these deportation flights are the outcome of “secret negotiations at a technical working level” between the interior ministry of Germany and representatives from the Taliban.
Germany is reportedly working towards establishing a consistent “deportation airlift,” designed to return Afghan nationals who have committed serious offenses, or those considered threats to public safety—this includes individuals like rapists and drug dealers currently incarcerated in Germany.
According to Bild, the plan involves at least three charter flights each month for deportations, with some individual deportations taking place via regular airline flights from time to time. There’s mention of at least 100 offenders identified for deportation who are currently in detention awaiting removal.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt emphasized, “The forced return of criminals to Afghanistan occurs regularly and reliably. Those who misuse our protection and commit serious crimes here must find their future in their homeland,” according to Bild.
He also noted, “Our society has a legitimate interest in ensuring that criminals leave the country, and we enforce this consistently.” After a break of several years, deportations of Afghan nationals officially restarted in 2024 following the Taliban’s takeover in 2021. However, these repatriation flights seemed to pause for several months until the current coalition government led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz took charge. Deportation flights to Afghanistan are set to begin in July 2025.
Since then, the German government has sought a brief deportation agreement with the Taliban to send back Afghans who have committed crimes in Germany, with sporadic deportation flights taking place.
Reports suggest that at least three deportation flights to Kabul have occurred throughout 2026. The newspaper Die Welt followed up by indicating that 32 Afghan men were deported from Leipzig/Halle airport to Kabul as part of this arrangement between Germany and the Taliban.
A spokesperson from the German Interior Ministry added, as per Die Welt, that this group of deportees included individuals convicted of serious crimes such as rape, murder, child molestation, drug trafficking, and extortion.
