BERLIN — A chartered flight carrying 174 Afghan refugees arrived in northern Germany on Thursday as part of Berlin’s ongoing efforts to resettle at-risk Afghans who previously worked with German forces or organizations.
The flight, which departed from Islamabad, Pakistan, landed at Hannover Airport in the afternoon, according to a statement from the German Interior Ministry. All passengers had already been granted admission to Germany under a program launched in the aftermath of the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
The group included 82 women and 92 men, with 74 children under the age of 18 — nine of whom were under two years old — according to Deutsche Welle (DW).
“These are individuals for whom Germany made prior commitments,” a ministry spokesperson said. “No new admissions are being issued. This flight fulfills existing obligations.”
The German government began the admission program in 2021 to support Afghans who worked with the German military or civilian agencies during its two-decade mission in Afghanistan. Those individuals and their families are considered at high risk of persecution under the Taliban.
Before Thursday’s arrival, some 2,800 Afghans approved for resettlement were still awaiting evacuation, officials said.
All passengers on the latest flight underwent security interviews prior to departure. “Safety is the top priority,” the spokesperson said. “Each individual was thoroughly vetted.”
According to German media outlet Welt, a number of individuals previously cleared for travel were turned away shortly before boarding due to last-minute security concerns.
The flight comes at a time of rising anti-migrant sentiment in German politics. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has vowed to increase deportations and tighten asylum policies following several recent violent incidents involving asylum seekers, including some from Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, coalition talks between Germany’s conservative Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) and the center-left Social Democrats (SPD) have reportedly included plans to phase out the Afghan admissions program entirely.
