Germany Deports First Convicted Afghan Asylum Seeker to Kabul
Germany has deported the first convicted Afghan asylum seeker to Kabul from the state of Bavaria—a move that German officials say marks the resumption of regular deportations to Afghanistan.
The German tabloid Bild reported on Wednesday, December 16, that the deportation took place under new agreements between Germany and the Taliban administration. It is being viewed as the starting point of a systematic program to return certain Afghan asylum seekers.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said individuals who commit crimes in Germany forfeit their right to stay in the country. He added that Berlin intends to expand the scope of such deportations, targeting primarily those with serious criminal records.
Regular deportations to Afghanistan were suspended following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, but resumed in 2024. According to reports, around 81 Afghan asylum seekers were deported directly from Germany in July 2025. These deportation flights are now expected to continue on a regular basis.
The German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees has stated that approximately 11,500 Afghan asylum seekers are currently on the deportation list. The Interior Ministry emphasized that these deportations will be carried out individually via commercial flights.
Meanwhile, critics have warned that returning individuals to a country under Taliban control raises serious concerns about the safety, access to justice, and human rights of returnees—issues that remain unresolved given the ongoing human rights situation in Afghanistan.
