German officials have deported 40 Afghan nationals to their country of origin. According to the Interior Ministry, the failed asylum seekers are accused of committing crimes in Germany. However, rights groups continue to criticize the deportation of Afghans to Afghanistan under Taliban rule.
The German magazine Der Spiegel reported on October 28 that the Afghan deportees had been detained across 10 German states and later put on a charter flight to the Afghan capital, Kabul.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt confirmed that the plane departed from Leipzig.
"Criminals must leave our country. This is one of the reasons why deportations to Afghanistan are a regular and reliable part of our migration policy," Dobrindt said.
Since the current German government took office last year, more than 300 Afghan men have been deported to their home country on account of their criminal records.
Read AlsoGermany widens deportations to Afghanistan
Direct deal with Taliban leadership
The previous German government had also carried out several deportations of Afghan nationals with crimes backgrounds. The initial deportation flights were routed via Qatar, as Germany has no direct diplomatic relations with the Taliban, which returned to power in 2021.
Following a series of bilateral talks, Germany expanded its cooperation with Taliban authorities to facilitate deportations, including by allowing Taliban-appointed consular officials to operate in the country, while continuing to refuse to recognise the Taliban government as legitimate.
Following these developments, the Taliban sent several officials to Afghan embassies and consulates in Germany to serve as chargé d’affaires. In February 2026, Germany deported 20 Afghan nationals to Kabul on a direct charter flight, the first carried out under a direct agreement with the Taliban without the involvement of a third country.
The Taliban regime is known for its systematic suppression of women’s rights and other fundamental freedoms.
Read AlsoAfghanistan's 'consulate general' reopens in Bonn under new management: the Taliban
Protests against deportation policy
On Saturday, October 24, rights groups staged protests across Germany against the repeated deportation of Afghan nationals to their home country.
Around 600 people gathered for a rally at the entrance to Leipzig/Halle Airport, a key departure point for deportation flights.
Organizers said hundreds of people had taken part in demonstrations at airports across the country, including in Berlin, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, Cologne, Hanover and Munich.
Read AlsoGermany: More deportations to Afghanistan raise criticism over collaboration with Taliban
Recent announcements about plans to build a dedicated returns terminal at Munich airport have attracted protest from various rights groups.
Katharina Grote of the "Stop the MUC Deportation Terminal" campaign called for the project to be halted altogether. "We want an airport that stands for welcome and openness, rather than providing the infrastructure for mass deportations," she said.
Read AlsoGermany to bring most stranded Afghans from Pakistan
with EPD