Germany plans direct talks with Islamic Emirate in Kabul on deportations

Germany is preparing to open direct negotiations with the Islamic Emirate government in Kabul next month to secure regular deportations of Afghan nationals, including convicted criminals and individuals deemed security threats, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt confirmed on Sunday.

“Deportations to Afghanistan must be able to take place regularly,” the CSU politician told Bild am Sonntag. “That’s why we are now negotiating directly in Kabul so that criminals and potential threats can be deported consistently in the future.”

Officials from the Federal Ministry of the Interior are expected to travel to Kabul in October to hold talks with Islamic Emirate representatives, a ministry spokesperson confirmed. The move marks a shift from earlier plans for lower-level “technical discussions” without specifying a location.

The decision is politically sensitive, as Germany does not officially recognize the Islamic Emirate, which remains internationally isolated for its human rights record, particularly its sweeping restrictions on women and girls. Critics argue that direct engagement risks legitimizing the Islamist government.

Since the Islamic Emirate took power in August 2021, deportations from Germany have been rare and conducted with Qatari assistance.

In August 2024, 28 convicted criminals were flown to Kabul and a second flight in July 2025 returned 81 men, including violent and sexual offenders, after months of secret negotiations.

The current German government faces mounting domestic pressure to deliver on campaign pledges for tougher deportation policies, not only to Afghanistan but also to Syria. Dobrindt has promised a “tough course,” making progress on the Afghanistan file a key political test.