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Germany halts humanitarian visa programs amid migration crackdown
Germany has suspended its voluntary humanitarian visa programs, according to an announcement by the country’s interior ministry on Thursday.
The move follows recent controversy surrounding Germany’s special admissions program for Afghans deemed facing threat following the Islamic Emirate’s return to power in 2021.
Since the IEA takeover in 2021, over 45,000 Afghans—including former support staff for the German military—have been relocated to Germany.
However, the program has faced criticism over alleged lapses in security screening, with questions raised about the identities of some arrivals.
In line with tougher immigration policies, the new conservative-led government has frozen previous humanitarian visa pledges. As a result, around 2,300 Afghans currently in Pakistan remain in limbo after preparing to travel to Germany.
Despite the suspension, legal obstacles remain. Earlier this month, a Berlin administrative court ruled that Germany must provide safe passage to individuals if a prior legal promise was made—citing the case of an Afghan family.
According to data from the German foreign office, the majority of humanitarian visas over the past four years were granted to Afghans, followed by Syrians and Russians. Total admissions have dropped significantly, from 23,000 in 2022 to 10,500 in 2024.
A week ago, Germany deported 81 Afghan men to Afghanistan.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday that security risks in Central Asia and developments in Afghanistan are among the primary concerns for the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
The CSTO is a regional military alliance that includes Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
Speaking in Moscow during a meeting with CSTO Secretary-General Taalatbek Masadykov, Lavrov described the region’s security challenges as “central” to the organization’s agenda.
“The problems that are currently among the central ones for the CSTO are new challenges and threats. I am referring to the situation in the Central Asian region of collective security, as well as everything related to what is happening in Afghanistan,” he said.
He praised Masadykov as “one of the leading experts” on Central Asian security, noting that his experience could enhance coordination and increase the effectiveness of allied actions.
Similar to NATO, the CSTO considers an attack on one member state as an attack on all.
Countries in the region have always expressed concern about security threats from Afghanistan. The Islamic Emirate, however, has dismissed these concerns and assured that it will not allow Afghanistan’s soil to be used against another country.
The Ministry of Higher Education of Afghanistan has announced that the leader of the Islamic Emirate has approved the establishment of a faculty dedicated to “Prophetic Medicine.”
According to the ministry, this new faculty will play a vital role in advancing medical sciences and training skilled healthcare professionals across the country.
Afghanistan’s Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs, Noorullah Noori, has announced that the long-delayed demarcation and renovation of border markers along the Afghanistan–Iran frontier will officially begin in the near future.
According to a statement from the ministry, Noori made the remarks during a meeting with Iran’s ambassador to Kabul, Ali-Reza Bikdeli.
He assured the Iranian side that the Islamic Emirate is fully committed to accelerating the process and resolving any challenges that may arise during implementation.
In a separate statement, the Iranian Embassy in Kabul said Bikdeli underscored the importance of bilateral cooperation on border issues, describing it as a key factor in strengthening and expanding overall relations between the two countries.
Officials from both sides agreed nearly three months ago to resume the border-marker renovation project, which had remained stalled for the past seven years.
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