Germany deports 23 Afghan nationals to Kabul in expanded removal policy

Tuesday flight from Leipzig

Federal police officers accompanied 23 Afghan men on a charter flight from Leipzig/Halle Airport to Kabul early on Tuesday morning. The Federal Ministry of the Interior stated that the deportees consisted largely of individuals convicted of serious crimes, including sexual offenses and physical assault, while the rest were previously known to law enforcement. State authorities in Bavaria confirmed that five of the men were deported from their territory, all of them convicted offenders. Additional federal states taking part in the flight included Baden-Württemberg, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Rhineland-Palatinate. Separate reporting indicated that at least five individuals on the flight held no prior criminal convictions and were not classified by security services as dangerous threats.

Expansion of removal flights

The removal brings the total number of male Afghan nationals deported from Germany during the current legislative period to 228. Germany initiated collective deportations to Afghanistan two years ago with logistical assistance from Qatar, under then-Interior Minister Nancy Faeser. Removals resumed in recent months, with 32 individuals flown out in June and 31 at the end of July. Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt noted that removals are no longer limited strictly to convicted offenders and security threats, reflecting stipulations in the coalition agreement that permit deporting any individual obligated to leave. In mid-June, the interior ministry announced plans to expand operations to up to three charter flights per month through arrangements with the Taliban in Kabul.

Our society has a clear interest in criminals having to leave our country.

Opposition criticism and airport protest

Around 50 protesters gathered at Leipzig/Halle Airport on Monday evening to demonstrate against the planned removal. Kai Adeel, spokesperson for the Bündnis gegen Abschiebungen alliance, warned of severe dangers facing returnees under Taliban rule.

People from Afghanistan seeking protection here are being deported today into the Taliban regime, where exclusion, torture, or even death awaits them.

Green Party lawmakers Schahina Gambir and Sara Nanni criticized the federal government for cooperating with the Taliban, who took power five years ago and remain unrecognized by Berlin as a legitimate administration. Gambir argued that the cooperation compromises human rights standards to execute deportation goals.

Instead of advocating for human rights, this federal government is only fighting for its own deportation policy.

Human rights and national deportation data

Advocacy group Pro Asyl stated that the government halted formal admission programs and family reunification from Afghanistan while accelerating removals. Afghanistan, with a population exceeding 48 million, faces severe hardship; the International Labour Organization reported that only 33% of the working-age population is employed, and the UN World Food Programme warned of severe malnutrition. The Canada-based Afghanistan Human Rights and Democracy Organization documented 593 public floggings in 2024, 1,074 in 2025, and 553 through April 2026, primarily for extramarital relations and alleged sexual offenses. Nationwide deportations from Germany fell by 18.2% to 9,663 in the first half of 2026, partly due to lower asylum application numbers since early 2025. At mid-year, roughly 259,000 individuals in Germany were obligated to leave, with 77% holding temporary tolerated stay status. Two earlier deportation flights to Afghanistan in April and June cost over €300,000 each.