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Germany weighs fate of Afghans in Pakistan as deportations intensify
The German government is reviewing whether Afghans stranded in Pakistan while awaiting resettlement in Germany will indeed be allowed to go there, its interior minister said on Thursday, as Islamabad intensifies deportations of Afghans.
Pakistan has begun to deport documented Afghan refugees ahead of its September 1 deadline for them to leave, according to the United Nations, a step that could see more than 1 million Afghans expelled from the country.
Among them are more than 2,000 Afghans awaiting visas to travel to Germany under an admission programme designed to evacuate people considered to be at risk under Islamic Emirate rule in Pakistan’s neighbour Afghanistan.
A source familiar with the matter said detentions of Afghans for deportation over the border have continued, even during Pakistan’s Independence Day holiday on Thursday, Reuters reported.
“People with German admission approval are being brought to the Torkham border (between Pakistan and Afghanistan) as we speak,” the source told Reuters.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt confirmed that some Afghans in Germany’s resettlement scheme “have recently drawn the attention of Pakistani authorities”, and Berlin was in discussions with Islamabad over their status.
“We are reviewing whether these people can actually leave for Germany. Whether this actually happens depends on the outcome of the review process,” Dobrindt told journalists.
Germany’s admission programme for at-risk Afghans – launched in October 2022 by the centre-left government in office at the time – is now under review following February’s migration-focused election won by conservatives.
The new centre-right coalition intends to close the scheme, which had already been suspended pending an ongoing review.
Since May 2021, Germany has admitted about 36,500 Afghans seen as vulnerable, but the conservative-led government says humanitarian migration now exceeds the country’s integration capacity.
On Wednesday, Germany’s foreign ministry said it was in close contact with Pakistani authorities and using established emergency mechanisms to prevent deportations of Afghans.
The interior ministry said it could not provide a timeline to determine the future of the admission programme but expects decisions soon. It did not say whether the increase in deportations from Pakistan would hasten a decision.
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Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan boost trade and digital finance ties
Minister Sydykov, in turn, pledged the continuation of Kyrgyzstan’s humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and highlighted his country’s interest in working together on e-governance initiatives.
Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs, Abdul Salam Hanafi, has met with a high-level Kyrgyz delegation led by Minister of Economy and Commerce Bakhyt Sydykov to discuss expanding bilateral trade and strengthening cooperation in digital financial services.
During the meeting, Hanafi reaffirmed Afghanistan’s readiness to deepen ties with Kyrgyzstan, stressing the importance of developing electronic administration systems and modern banking channels to facilitate trade and financial transactions between the two countries.
Minister Sydykov, in turn, pledged the continuation of Kyrgyzstan’s humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and highlighted his country’s interest in working together on e-governance initiatives. He also pointed to potential cooperation in areas such as the printing of securities and the development of electronic payment systems.
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India reaffirms healthcare support to Afghanistan, hands over medicines and vaccines
Indian officials said the support underscores New Delhi’s commitment to helping improve healthcare services and access to life-saving treatment in Afghanistan.
India has reaffirmed its commitment to continued humanitarian assistance and healthcare cooperation with Afghanistan, with a focus on the long-term supply of essential medicines.
According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of the Government of India, Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda held a productive meeting with Afghanistan’s Minister of Public Health, Noor Jalal Jalali. The discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in the health sector and addressing the medical needs of the Afghan people.
During the meeting, a symbolic handover of cancer medicines and vaccines was carried out, reflecting India’s ongoing support for Afghanistan’s healthcare system. The ministry also announced that a larger consignment of medicines, vaccines, and a 128-slice CT scanner is being dispatched to Afghanistan as part of India’s humanitarian assistance efforts.
Indian officials said the support underscores New Delhi’s commitment to helping improve healthcare services and access to life-saving treatment in Afghanistan.
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Afghan forces target hideout of suspects linked to cross-border attacks on Chinese nationals
Afghan forces target hideout of suspects linked to cross-border attacks on Chinese nationals
Security sources said that special forces of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) have targeted a hideout in Badakhshan province linked to suspects involved in attacks against Chinese nationals in neighboring Tajikistan.
According to the sources, the operation was carried out on Tuesday night in Faizabad city, where several individuals suspected of orchestrating cross-border attacks from Badakhshan’s frontier regions were believed to be present. As a result of the operation, one wanted suspect was arrested alive along with weapons and other military equipment.
The sources added that preliminary investigations and initial confessions by the detainee indicate the planning of the attacks was carried out from outside Afghanistan.
This comes as Tajikistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on November 27 that three Chinese citizens were killed in an attack in Khatlon province.
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