Germany plans Kabul visit for direct deportation talks with Taliban

The German government will begin talks with Afghanistan's Taliban authorities on deportations from Germany, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt told the Sunday edition of Germany's Bild newspaper, reported dpa.

"Deportations to Afghanistan must be able to take place regularly. That is why we are now negotiating directly in Kabul, so criminals and security risks can be deported consistently in the future," Dobrindt said.

Officials from the Interior Ministry are scheduled to travel to Kabul in October to directly negotiate with Taliban representatives on deportations, a ministry spokesman confirmed to the newspaper.

Two weeks ago, Dobrindt said he expected talks in Kabul to start soon. Until then, talks had been described as taking place at a "technical level with Afghan representatives," without specifying where.

Contacts with the Taliban are controversial, as Germany does not maintain official diplomatic relations with the group, which returned to power in August 2021 and is internationally isolated due to its human rights abuses, particularly against women.

Since the Taliban takeover, Germany has deported groups of Afghan nationals twice, with assistance from Qatar. In August 2024, 28 convicted criminals were sent to Kabul under the previous government.

In July, 81 men with criminal records including homicide, sexual offences, violence and drug crimes were deported, according to German authorities.