Germany could significantly expand deportation flights for Afghan nationals convicted of crimes, according to a report by German media outlet, Bild am Sonntag.
The report said German authorities are considering increasing charter deportation flights to Afghanistan to as many as three per month following technical-level discussions between representatives of Germany’s Interior Ministry and Taliban.
According to the report, at least 100 Afghan nationals with deportation orders are currently being held in prisons or immigration detention facilities in Germany.
In addition to charter flights, deportations on regular commercial flights would continue, the report said.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt told Bild am Sonntag that deportations of convicted offenders to Afghanistan would be carried out “regularly and reliably.”
“Anyone who abuses our protection and commits serious crimes here must seek their future in their home country,” Dobrindt said. “Our society has a legitimate interest in ensuring that criminals leave our country.”
Germany resumed deportations to Afghanistan in 2024 after years of suspension, limiting returns largely to individuals convicted of serious crimes. The policy remains controversial because Germany, like other Western countries, does not formally recognize the Taliban rule.
Human rights groups have criticized the deportations, arguing that they require practical cooperation with Taliban and risk legitimizing the Taliban internationally.
In May, the refugee advocacy group Pro Asyl condemned the policy, saying Germany was normalizing relations with a regime that has been widely criticized for its treatment of women and political opponents.
The report comes amid a broader European push for tougher migration policies. European Union member states have been debating measures aimed at increasing deportations of rejected asylum seekers and establishing return centers in third countries.
The United Nations and human rights organizations have warned that Afghanistan remains a humanitarian crisis, with many returnees facing economic hardship and restrictions on fundamental rights under Taliban rule.
