Germany Deports Two Afghan Men Convicted of Crimes to Kabul

German authorities deported two Afghan men convicted of serious crimes from Hamburg to Kabul via Istanbul on regular commercial flights after their release from prison, German officials said.

One man, aged 30, had been convicted of causing bodily harm and attacking law enforcement officers. The second, aged 32, was convicted of repeated assaults, armed robbery and criminal threats.

German officials stated the deportations proceeded despite escalating military clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with no reason to change the policy of returns to Kabul.

The move follows a charter flight from Leipzig that deported 20 Afghan criminals to Kabul. The German Federal Interior Ministry said it was the first such flight arranged directly with the Taliban, without intermediary countries like Qatar used in previous instances.

Direct contact between the German government and the Taliban remains controversial, as Berlin has not established official diplomatic relations with the Taliban since it took power in Afghanistan in August 2021.

The Taliban administration is internationally isolated over human rights violations and restrictions on women.