Germany deports 81 Afghan nationals to Kabul

Kabul (Pajhwok): The German Interior Ministry announced on Friday that it had deported 81 Afghan nationals via a flight from Leipzig Airport to Kabul.

In an official statement, the German Interior Ministry confirmed the deportation of the Afghan nationals. Deutsche Welle (DW) reported that the flight was part of a collective repatriation effort and involved individuals who were legally required to leave Germany.

“These are Afghan men with criminal records,” DW quoted the statement as saying. “The federal government is thus implementing a key provision of the coalition agreement, which stipulates that deportations to Afghanistan will begin with those who have committed crimes or pose a security threat.”

The statement also noted that Germany relied on Qatar for logistical support in carrying out the operation.

Meanwhile, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, wrote on X that following extensive discussions between the Islamic Emirate and the German government, the necessary documents for the return of the 81 deportees were processed by the ministry’s consular section and that the individuals were expected to arrive in Kabul the same day.

He expressed the Afghan government’s appreciation for the effective role and excellent facilitation provided by the government of Qatar in the deportation process.

He also assured that discussions with Germany would continue to ensure the provision of transparent and standardized consular services for all Afghans residing in the country.

This development follows earlier remarks by German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, who stated that Germany had entered into direct talks with the Islamic Emirate regarding the deportation of “criminal refugees.”

He added that due to the presence of a representative of the Islamic Emirate in Berlin, such deportations could be conducted even without formal diplomatic recognition.

Zabihullah Mujahid, chief spokesman for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), welcomed the statements by the German Interior Minister and reiterated that the IEA supports resolving the challenges faced by Afghan migrants through dialogue with host countries.

sa