Germany has carried out its first deportation to Syria since the outbreak of the country’s civil war in 2011, sending a convicted Syrian national back to Damascus on a scheduled commercial flight.

The 37-year-old man, who had served a prison sentence in North Rhine-Westphalia for aggravated robbery, bodily harm, and extortion, was escorted by federal police to the Syrian capital, where he was handed over to local authorities on Tuesday, December 23.

The Federal Interior Ministry confirmed the deportation, which coincided with another removal of an individual to Afghanistan. The ministry said it had reached agreements with both Damascus and Kabul authorities to facilitate “regular” deportations of serious offenders and individuals considered security risks in the future.

The Afghan national had been imprisoned in Bavaria, including for intentional bodily harm. The ministry said this marked the second deportation of an Afghan criminal within a week.

“Criminals must leave our country. We stand for control, consequence, and zero tolerance towards offenders and threats,” said Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU), emphasizing that the move reflects Germany’s commitment to law and order.

Dobrindt further justified the policy by highlighting the strain on local municipalities, which have faced challenges accommodating foreign nationals serving prison sentences. “We have reached the breaking point for a long time, and the overload in the municipalities is visible,” he said.

The deportation follows months of diplomatic negotiations after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024, which ended a 14-year civil war. The change prompted Germany to reassess its long-standing ban on returns to Syria.

The current coalition government, formed by CDU/CSU and SPD, explicitly committed in its agreement to resume deportations to Syria and Afghanistan, targeting criminals and “Gefährder” — individuals considered potential security threats. Chancellor Friedrich Merz has been a vocal supporter of the policy, meeting with Syria’s transitional president Ahmed al-Sharaa to discuss mechanisms for further returns.

The move carries symbolic weight amid heightened public concern over migration, with roughly one million Syrians currently residing in Germany, many of whom arrived during the 2015-2016 refugee influx under former Chancellor Angela Merkel.

While the German government asserts that the Syrian conflict is over, human rights organizations continue to caution against deportations, citing lingering instability, ongoing reconstruction challenges, and potential security risks for returnees.

The deportation marks a historic shift in German migration policy and signals the government’s determination to enforce stricter measures against convicted foreign nationals.