Germany resumes deporting illegal Afghan migrants to their country

Germany has resumed deporting Afghan criminal offenders to their home country, the government announced on Friday.

A deportation flight to Afghanistan left Germany this morning, government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said, adding that it was the first since August 2021.

"The Federal Government is committed to carrying out such deportations. Germany's security interests clearly outweigh the interest in protecting criminals and dangerous individuals," he said.

The move came after a stabbing attack in Solingen last week, in which three people were killed and eight others were injured by a religious extremist, whose deportation was delayed.

According to Der Spiegel weekly, 28 Afghan criminal offenders were being sent to their home country by a charter jet, and the deportation operation was facilitated by Qatar, as Berlin has no official ties with the Taliban-led interim government in Afghanistan.

"In view of the notoriously difficult conditions, Germany has asked key regional partners for support in order to facilitate the deportation. The German government is very grateful for this support," Hebestreit said.

Following the stabbing attack in Solingen, Chancellor Olaf Scholz's ruling coalition came under increased pressure from the opposition parties, which accused the government of neglecting the problem for years, and even promoting illegal immigration with its policies.

Earlier this week, Scholz admitted legal and practical problems in deporting illegal migrants and criminals to their home countries but promised that his government would undertake stronger efforts to address this issue.

The EU's largest economy remains the top destination for illegal migrants, and last year authorities registered 266,224 cases of illegal entry and residence. Many of the irregular migrants were asylum seekers from Syria and Afghanistan.