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Nineteen EU countries and Norway call for return of Afghans living illegally in Europe
The countries urged the European Commission to place the return of Afghans at the top of its migration agenda and to begin discussions with the IEA administration on establishing a formal return agreement.
Nineteen European Union member states and Norway have urged the European Commission to take immediate steps to repatriate Afghan nationals residing illegally in Europe, either through voluntary return programs or forced deportations — a move that could include negotiating directly with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) authorities in Kabul.
The joint appeal, led by Belgium’s Minister for Asylum and Migration, Anneleen Van Bossuyt, was detailed in a letter addressed to Magnus Brunner, the EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration. Van Bossuyt confirmed the initiative on Saturday, saying the inability to deport Afghans — including those convicted of crimes — poses “a threat to public safety” and “undermines trust in the EU’s asylum system.”
The letter was signed by Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, and Norway.
The countries urged the European Commission to place the return of Afghans at the top of its migration agenda and to begin discussions with the IEA administration on establishing a formal return agreement.
Van Bossuyt proposed that Frontex, the EU’s border and coast guard agency, take on a stronger role in coordinating voluntary returns through the EU Reintegration Programme. For forced returns, the ministers suggested prioritising individuals considered dangerous or criminal, potentially through a joint repatriation mission involving the European Commission, the European External Action Service (EEAS), and willing member states.
Since the IEA takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, European countries have lacked any formal return mechanism, as the EU does not recognize the IEA as the legitimate government. The absence of a repatriation framework has led to growing political pressure within the bloc, particularly among governments facing public concern over migration and security.
Germany, led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative government, has already taken steps toward limited cooperation with the IEA on deportations. In July, Berlin conducted a flight returning 81 Afghan nationals, the first such operation since 2021. Merz’s government has signaled hopes that other EU states will follow suit.
However, the move drew criticism from the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), which maintains a “non-return advisory” for Afghanistan.
UN human rights officials have also voiced concern. Arafat Jamal, a representative of the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), said his team continues to document “ongoing human rights violations” in Afghanistan, including restrictions on women’s rights, arbitrary detentions, and targeted attacks.
Despite the humanitarian warnings, several European governments argue that establishing a structured return mechanism is necessary to uphold the credibility of Europe’s migration policies and ensure that those denied asylum can be lawfully repatriated.
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Afghanistan says Pakistani military post destroyed near Spin Boldak
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense says a Pakistani military post near Spin Boldak was targeted and destroyed after Pakistani forces opened fire toward Afghanistan.
Ministry spokesperson Enayatullah Khwarazmi said in a post on X that Afghan forces suffered no casualties or damage in the clash.
Khwarazmi also rejected claims made by the Pakistani side about the incident, describing them as “propaganda.”
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Mujahid: Pakistan attacking Afghanistan to evade Mecca Pact responsibilities
He warned that the Islamic Emirate would give an “appropriate response” to what he called the Pakistani military regime’s “bullying.”
Islamic Emirate spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has accused Pakistan of carrying out attacks on Afghanistan to divert attention from its domestic problems and to evade responsibilities under the “Mecca Pact.”
Speaking at a religious seminary in Kandahar, Mujahid said Pakistan was facing political and economic challenges at home and was using attacks on Afghanistan to shift public attention away from protests and its internal problems.
“Pakistan, by violating the territory of its neighboring Islamic country, wants to divert attention from its failures,” he said.
Mujahid also criticized Pakistan’s political situation, claiming that political space had been restricted and that freedoms guaranteed under the country’s laws were not being allowed.
He said Pakistan’s economic problems had also increased significantly and accused the country of seeking to distract the public from those problems by engaging in conflict with Afghanistan.
Mujahid further accused Pakistan’s military leadership of putting the Pakistani people at risk through what he described as its “false position.”
He warned that the Islamic Emirate would give an “appropriate response” to what he called the Pakistani military regime’s “bullying.”
His remarks followed Pakistani airstrikes on Kandahar, Paktia and Khost provinces on Thursday, which Afghan authorities said killed four civilians.
The strikes came three days after attacks on Kunar and Paktika provinces, in which Afghan authorities said three civilians were killed.
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Kabul rejects U.S. claim that meth seized in Pakistan was of Afghan origin
Balkhi said the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has imposed an absolute ban on the production, trafficking and use of all types of narcotics in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi has rejected a U.S. claim that 463 kilograms of synthetic drugs seized in Pakistan were of Afghan origin, calling the attribution “unfounded and politically motivated.”
Balkhi said the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad should investigate the origin of the seized drugs in Pakistan rather than attributing them to Afghanistan.
“The attribution by the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad of the synthetic drugs bound for Sri Lanka and intercepted in Pakistan through joint U.S.-Pakistani efforts as ‘Afghan-origin’ is an unfounded and politically motivated allegation,” Balkhi said.
He said the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has imposed an absolute ban on the production, trafficking and use of all types of narcotics in Afghanistan.
Balkhi also claimed that following the ban in Afghanistan, the cultivation, production and trafficking of narcotics have increased “on the other side of the Durand Line.”
He further argued that Afghanistan does not have the capacity to produce synthetic drugs and said crossing points along the Durand Line have been completely closed to all movement for nearly a year.
His remarks came after the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad said U.S. and Pakistani anti-narcotics authorities had seized 463 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine worth an estimated $21 million and bound for Sri Lanka.
The embassy said the operation led to multiple arrests and highlighted ongoing U.S. cooperation and training with Pakistani authorities to disrupt international drug-trafficking networks.
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