Germany leads European push to expand Afghan deportations through Taliban deals

Germany and other European governments are negotiating with the Taliban to speed up Afghan deportations, The New York Times reported on October 12.

The talks, which officials describe as technical arrangements for removals, give Kabul leverage to press for a larger diplomatic presence in Europe and economic assistance. The Taliban see them as a step toward international acceptance, a view some European diplomats share, the paper said.

Suhail Shaheen, the Taliban ambassador to Qatar, argues that Europe should offer economic assistance to curb migration, warning that Afghans "will go like a flood to Europe" if unemployment and economic crisis persist.

On June 23 in Brussels, five Taliban representatives met more than 20 European officials at a meeting co-hosted by Sweden and the European Commission. Representatives from 15 countries attended, including Austria, Greece, Poland and Norway. Three participants and three officials briefed on the discussions told the paper that the Europeans did not raise human rights abuses.

The Taliban asked for economic assistance and a larger diplomatic presence in Europe, and held bilateral talks with at least four countries. EU officials say the talks focused on deporting serious offenders and people considered security threats. Sweden says it is working with the Taliban authorities to remove 200 Afghans convicted of crimes.

Germany has led the effort as Chancellor Friedrich Merz faces pressure to increase deportations, with the far-right Alternative for Germany leading national polls. A deal reached late last year allows direct deportations to Afghanistan in place of arrangements through third countries. The first flight under the deal carried 20 convicted Afghan men from Leipzig to Kabul in February. The interior ministry says 263 Afghans have been deported under Merz since May last year, and authorities have begun removing men without criminal convictions.

Germany was preparing to enter direct negotiations with the Taliban government, which were low-key events over the past few months as relations between Berlin and Kabul continue to develop since the fall of the American-backed regime in 2021.

Local publication KabulNow reported in June that Berlin had agreed to accept six more Taliban diplomats and planned up to three charter flights a month, although neither government has publicly confirmed the diplomat agreement.

Meanwhile, Taliban officials already work from Afghan missions in Berlin and Bonn to facilitate returns. German officials say this amounts to de facto recognition of Taliban authority. Russia is the only country to have formally recognised it.

France is considering a similar arrangement. Its foreign ministry says the discussions concern Afghans living illegally in France who pose national security risks.

The Taliban want access to more Afghan missions, funding to reintegrate deportees and broader economic support. European governments have limited aid to humanitarian relief and resist development funding that could benefit Taliban institutions or sanctioned officials. One European diplomat expects further concessions as domestic pressure for deportations grows.

Rights groups warn that cooperation exposes returnees to repression. Human Rights Watch researcher Fereshta Abbasi says the EU cannot credibly condemn the Taliban's systematic repression while cooperating on deportations.

IntelliNews has also reported that Afghan deportations risk bolstering ISIS-K ranks and that Tajikistan's deportations of hundreds of Afghans left the refugee community on edge, while the UN has said Iran's aid budget needs to double as the Afghan exodus increases.

Nearly 95% of Afghan women seeking asylum in Germany received protection in the first half of this year.