German-Afghan relations under scrutiny over deportations

"We have succeeded in organizinganother deportation flightwith convicted criminals toAfghanistan," Germany's Interior MinisterAlexander Dobrindtsaid in a press release on July 18, following the departure of a plane from Leipzig to Kabul with 81 Afghan men with failed asylum applications and criminal convictions on board.

As Dobrindt sees it, this flight means that the governing coalition of the center-right bloc ofChristian Democratic Union(CDU) and theChristian Social Union(CSU), and the center-leftSocial Democratic Party(SPD) has made good on its promise. "We will start deporting people to Afghanistan and Syria, beginning with criminals and dangerous individuals," they wrote in their coalition agreement.

Deportations as part of the 'repatriation offensive'

Deportation flights had already been conducted under the previous center-left government, which lost the general election on February 23, 2025.

Nevertheless, Dobrindt (CSU) spoke of a "policy shift" — with reference to the "repatriation offensive." The plan is to put more pressure on countries to take back their citizens. In the case of Afghanistan, this is particularly tricky and sensitive because Germany has not officially recognized theTalibanas a legitimate government.

German deportations to Afghanistan spark rebuke

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The Islamist Taliban returned to power in August 2021 following 20 years of struggle, after the US-led military mission ended in failure with the withdrawal of international troops. The humanitarian situation is dire and the radical Islamic fundamentalists have once again been systematically oppressing girls and women.

An estimated 377,000 individuals of Afghan origin live in Germany. Many of them came as refugees. Many of them are permitted to stay although their individual asylum request has not been granted. In Germany, just under 11,500 Afghans are registered as required to leave the country, according to theFederal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF)in May this year. The BAMF was unable to say whether and how many criminals or dangerous individuals are among those required to leave the country.

Deportations to Afghanistan were taking place even before the Taliban regained power. They were controversial at the time due to the precarious security situation and remain so today due to ongoing human rights violations.

'Serious criminals have no right to reside in our country'

Interior Minister Dobrindt nevertheless intends to stick to his course: "Serious criminals have no right to reside in our country," he said and government spokesman Stefan Kornelius announced on Monday that more deportations are to follow: "This isn't resolved with one flight."

Afghan refugee family faces migration reality in Germany

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Germany is hoping to avoid the impression that it's boosting the Taliban's international standing. The German government speaks of "technical contacts." The recent deportations were facilitated by the Qatari government.

As government spokesman Stefan Kornelius put it, Qatar's role is as a mediator: "We're in ongoing contact with the de facto government in Afghanistan to arrange technical aspects."

He avoided using the word Taliban. An agreement had been reached for the currentAfghan administration to send two representatives to Germany, who will be based in the embassy in Berlin.

The new diplomats will be tasked with "supporting further planned repatriation flights." This is the first time that the regime, which is not recognized by Germany, sends its own personnel to Germany.

Merz: No recognition of the Taliban regime

Germany and Afghanistan are clearly entering a new phase. Nevertheless, following the latest deportation flight, German ChancellorFriedrich Merzwas adamant: "Diplomatic recognition of the Taliban regime is not up for discussion. That is simply out of the question," Merz said at a press conference in Berlin.

However, Conrad Schetter, an Afghanistan expert from theBonn International Center for Conflict Studies (BICC), believes that other countries may follow Russia's lead and officially recognize the Taliban government.

Schetter pointed to Afghanistan's close ties with other countries, including Pakistan and Qatar: if these countries follow Russia's example, it could put considerable political pressure on Western countries, he told DW. "And this is likely to spark the kind of diplomatic momentum that the Taliban are hoping will be triggered by Russia's latest move," said Schetter.

Russia recognizes Afghanistan's Taliban government

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Peace and conflict researcher: Germany lacks credibility

Peace and conflict researcher Nicole Deitelhoff from the University of Frankfurt am Main has strongly criticized Germany's policy on Afghanistan. In theTagespiegelnewspaper, she wrote that deportations are inadmissible if those affected are at risk of torture or inhumane treatment in their country of origin. What's more, she predicts that the policy shift will negatively impact on Germany's reputation.

Deitelhoff points to the German government's decision to end its admission program for former Afghan workers who aided theBundeswehrduring its military engagement. "Who can still trust a country that promises its civilian aid workers that it will ensure their safety in the future and then abandons them just like that?" Deitelhoff asks.

This article was originally written in German.

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