Germany sends 23 Afghans back to Kabul on deportation charter

Germany’s Federal Police deported 23 Afghan nationals to Afghanistan on Tuesday, August 25, according to German media outlet Welt.

A charter flight carrying the 23 Afghan citizens departed Leipzig/Halle Airport on the morning of August 25 and headed for Kabul, accompanied by German law enforcement officers.

The deportation was carried out under an updated framework for removals to Afghanistan. The German government had previously announced an expansion of the criteria for deportation, meaning that removals to Afghanistan would no longer be limited to people convicted of criminal offences but would also include Afghan nationals who are residing in Germany illegally.

It was not immediately clear whether any of the 23 people deported on Tuesday had criminal convictions.

By Tamilla Hasanova