Overview
- A planned collective deportation from Germany to Kabul was canceled before takeoff late last week after the Taliban said they would not cooperate unless more Taliban-accredited diplomats were present in Germany.
- The Taliban told German interlocutors they need more diplomatic staff in Germany to process identity checks and paperwork, and officials said only two Taliban representatives are currently accredited in the country.
- Reporting indicates a policy rift within the federal government, with the Interior Ministry pushing to continue removals and the Foreign Office urging a tougher stance toward the Taliban over diplomatic and legal risks.
- Human-rights groups including Amnesty International and Pro Asyl warn that returns to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan risk torture and severe rights abuses, a concern that could make some deportations unlawful under non-refoulement rules.
- Germany resumed deportations to Afghanistan in 2024 with Qatar’s help and officials say the canceled flight will likely be rescheduled at a later date though no new date has been set, leaving uncertainty for those facing removal and for coordination with Afghan missions now controlled by the Taliban.