Some of the Afghan nationals deported from Germany to Kabul on Friday have already said they plan to return, according to media reports. The flight, from the city of Leipzig, carried 81 Afghan men, all either convicted criminals or considered security threats.
Upon arrival in Kabul, several deportees told Afghan journalists they would soon try to return to Germany, underscoring the difficulty Berlin faces in enforcing long-term expulsions.
The deportation was originally set to include 100 individuals, but problems verifying fingerprints and confirming identities meant only 81 could ultimately be processed, according to Focus magazine.
German police officers accompanied the flight, carrying files on the deportees and handing them over directly to Afghan authorities. Afghan official Abdulmutalib Haqqani stated that each case would be reviewed and judged according to Islamic Sharia law.
It followed protracted negotiations with the Taliban regime and marks what is hoped to be the beginning of regular deportations to Afghanistan. Chancellor Friedrich Merz continues to reject claims that Germany is implicitly recognizing the Taliban government in exchange for cooperation on deportations. “Diplomatic recognition of the Taliban regime is not even up for debate,” he reiterated on Friday.
According to Afghan spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi, Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry issued travel documents for 81 individuals under current legal procedures. Meanwhile, pro-open borders groups have launched legal efforts to halt further deportations. Refugee organisations in Germany have already begun legal proceedings, and it remains to be seen whether this deportation will mark the beginning of a sustainable return policy.
The deportation flight also comes just a week after German courts forced the government to admit thousands more Afghans left behind by the previous government’s resettlement programme. Around 2,400 are still waiting in Pakistan, many with legally binding visa approvals. The Merz government has attempted to freeze the scheme, but courts have ruled the promises must be honoured—undermining its attempts to impose tighter migration controls.
