KABUL, Afghanistan: Germany has deported 13 Afghan nationals convicted of criminal offences to Kabul, the latest group returned under Berlin’s policy of removing Afghan nationals who are required to leave the country.
The Afghan men arrived in Kabul on Tuesday, aboard a charter flight, German media outlet n-tv reported, citing the Federal Ministry of the Interior.
A ministry spokesperson said all 13 Afghan men had been ordered to leave Germany and had criminal records. Their convictions included sexual offences, assault and drug trafficking.
Germany has carried out several deportation flights to Afghanistan in recent months.
On September 1, German authorities deported 22 Afghan nationals with criminal records to Kabul on a charter flight. The Interior Ministry said they had been convicted of offences including murder, attempted murder, robbery, theft, extortion, grievous bodily harm and arson.
Earlier, on August 25, German media reported that around 30 Afghans had been deported to Kabul.
The latest flight brings the number of Afghan nationals deported to Afghanistan since the current governing coalition took office to 263, according to the Interior Ministry. The ministry said all those deported during this period had criminal records.
Germany resumed deportation flights to Afghanistan in 2024. The first flight, in August that year, carried 28 Afghan nationals convicted of crimes.
The latest removals form part of Berlin’s efforts to increase deportations of people who have been ordered to leave Germany.
The number of Afghan nationals legally required to leave Germany remains far higher than the number deported.
Refugee rights organisation Pro Asyl, citing figures from a German parliamentary inquiry, said about 13,000 Afghans were required to leave Germany at the end of 2025.
Around 10,000 of them had a Duldung, a German legal status meaning that deportation has been temporarily suspended. It is not a residence permit.
