For the first time since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, Germany has deported a group of Afghan criminals back to their homeland.
The deportation took place on August 30, and involved 28 individuals who had been convicted of various crimes in Germany.
According to a report from Spiegel, the deportees were transported on a charter flight from Leipzig to Kabul, organized by Germany's Ministry of Internal Affairs.
This operation was months in the making, with preparations taking approximately two months to complete. Each deportee was reportedly given €1,000 (or a little over $1,100) before their departure.
The German government has confirmed the deportation.
"These are Afghan citizens, all of them are convicted criminals who did not have the right to stay in Germany and for whom there are deportation orders," government spokesman Steffen Gebestreit stated.
He noted that Germany has asked for the assistance of "key regional partners."
Notably, Berlin did not engage directly with the Taliban-controlled government in Kabul. Instead, Germany worked through intermediaries, notably Qatar, which maintains communication with the Taliban.
Earlier this week, German Home Secretary Nancy Faeser announced that deportations of criminals and potential terrorists to countries deemed dangerous, including Syria and Afghanistan, would begin "very soon."
Following a recent terrorist attack in Solingen, the German government agreed on a new package of measures related to migration and asylum.
Opposition leader Friedrich Merz of the CDU has called for a general ban on the admission of people from Syria and Afghanistan, although this proposal has faced opposition from other government officials, citing constitutional concerns.
