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Germany and EU allies push for asylum crackdown and more deportations
Germany’s Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt and five European counterparts agreed on a set of goals on Friday to tighten asylum rules in the bloc, including allowing deportations to Afghanistan and Syria.
The meeting at Germany’s highest peak, the Zugspitze, follows Berlin’s decision in May to reject asylum seekers at the border, a policy it said was coordinated with neighbouring countries but drew significant criticism, Reuters reported.
It comes almost exactly a decade after former German Chancellor Angela Merkel opened the country’s borders to nearly a million refugees fleeing war and persecution, a landmark decision that reshaped European politics.
Dobrindt met counterparts from France, Poland, Austria, the Czech Republic and Denmark, as well as EU Home Affairs Commissioner Magnus Brunner.
The agreed asylum policy goals, which require approval from Brussels, include removing legislative obstacles to transferring rejected asylum seekers to secure centres outside the EU and enabling asylum procedures in third countries.
Germany’s new government has already placed curbs on migration including suspending family reunification and resettlement programmes, as it seeks to regain support from voters drawn to the far-right Alternative for Germany, which made historic gains in February’s federal election. On Friday Germany deported 81 Afghan men to Afghanistan.
“We are all concerned that the overburdening of our countries by illegal migration is also contributing massively to the polarization of society. We want to push back this polarization,” Dobrindt said.
Deportations to countries such as Afghanistan and Syria should be reinstated as standard practice, with citizens from countries failing to cooperate on deportations to face visa restrictions, a joint declaration said.
Trade, and development aid will also be used as leverage to boost returns and strengthen migration cooperation, the document said, pressing for increasing deployment of drones and more EU funding for border infrastructure and personnel.
The countries agreed to combat smugglers and work to dismantle human trafficking networks.
Asylum seekers who have already been granted protection in another EU country will be quickly rejected if they claim asylum elsewhere in the bloc.
“Once we seal the external border, there will be no need for internal border controls,” Polish Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak said.
Siemoniak said he discussed the border controls Germany introduced unilaterally at its border with Dobrindt, adding that Poland is ready to waive the controls at its border once Germany does the same.
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IEA defense ministry accuses Pakistan of ceasefire violations
Afghanistan’s Chief of Armed Forces, Fasihuddin Fitrat, said in his Eid message that Pakistan’s military regime has violated the ceasefire along the Durand line.
According to the Eid message released by the Ministry of Defense, several civilians were killed in attacks carried out by Pakistani forces in border areas.
Fitrat added that the continuation of Pakistan’s attacks despite the ceasefire “demonstrates a lack of commitment and deception” on the part of the country.
He stressed that the Islamic Emirate has refrained from retaliatory action in order to prevent further deterioration of the situation and has remained committed to the ceasefire.
However, he warned that if such attacks are repeated, “the ceasefire will become meaningless,” and the Islamic Emirate will deliver a “decisive response” to Pakistan’s actions.
It is worth noting that the Islamic Emirate and Pakistan reached a temporary ceasefire on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr through mediation by Qatar, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia.
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Security Sources: Pakistani military shelling in Kunar and Nuristan leaves female doctor dead
The sources said the vehicle was struck by gunfire and subsequently fell into the Kunar River.
Security sources report that several security incidents in the eastern provinces of Kunar and Nuristan have resulted in the death of a female doctor, injuries to others, and several people reported missing.
According to the sources, early Thursday morning at around 9:30 a.m., Pakistani military forces opened fire on a Toyota vehicle in the Dokalam Baghcha area of Nari district in Kunar province.
The sources said the vehicle was struck by gunfire and subsequently fell into the Kunar River. As a result of the incident, a female doctor was killed and another person was injured. Five other individuals who were reportedly in the vehicle remain missing, the sources added.
In a separate incident, security sources stated that around 11:00 a.m. in the Seno area of Shultan district, Kunar province, Pakistani forces carried out artillery shelling that left one person injured. The injured individual was transferred to the provincial hospital for medical treatment.
Meanwhile, security sources in Nuristan say that despite Pakistan’s announced ceasefire, the main road between Kamdesh and Barg-e-Matal districts has been completely closed to traffic since Thursday morning.
According to the sources, the closure of the route has caused serious difficulties for local residents, preventing any movement in the area. The sources also claim that Pakistani military posts are located within close proximity of the road and have opened fire on people attempting to pass through the area.
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UN Secretary-General condemns Pakistani airstrike on Kabul rehab center
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed concern over rising tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, stressing the importance of diplomacy to resolve conflicts.
The United Nations Secretary-General has strongly condemned a Pakistani airstrike on a rehabilitation center for addicts in Kabul and expressed condolences to the families of the victims.
The attack, which occurred on March 16, reportedly left over 600 people killed or injured, according to local sources.
In an official statement, Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General, emphasized that under international humanitarian law, patients, medical staff, and healthcare facilities, including hospitals, must be respected and protected at all times.
Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, stated: “The Secretary-General strongly condemns the airstrike in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, on March 16, which reportedly resulted in the deaths and injuries of civilians at a medical facility.”
Haq added that Guterres has called for an independent and impartial investigation into the incident, while offering his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and wishing a speedy recovery for the injured.
The Secretary-General reiterated the urgent need to reduce tensions and immediately halt hostilities between Afghanistan and Pakistan, emphasizing that disputes should be resolved through dialogue and peaceful solutions in accordance with the UN Charter.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed concern over rising tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, stressing the importance of diplomacy to resolve conflicts.
This development comes after Afghanistan and Pakistan announced a temporary cessation of hostilities ahead of Eid al-Fitr, a move that regional officials hope will pave the way for a lasting ceasefire and ensure the protection of civilians in both countries.
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