Raw Friday Flight: Five Hard-Core Offenders Deported to Afghanistan
Kickstarting the week with a controversial move, five Afghan natives, notorious for their criminal activities, were sent packing on an early morning flight bound for Kabul. These ex-residents of Baden-Württemberg were deemed "hardcore offenders" by Stuttgart's Migration Ministry.
One of them had previously resided in Illerkirchberg (Alb-Donau district) and, alongside three other offenders in the Ulm area, had brutally assaulted a 14-year-old girl under the influence of alcohol and drugs for several hours. Another Afghan individual was a regular and dedicated lawbreaker, boasting over 160 criminal cases.
Four of the criminals were transported from prison, while one was apprehended by the cops for deportation.
Officials shared that these four individuals were carted off to the Leipzig/Halle Airport for the deportation. This was the first time since the Taliban's power grab three years ago that Germany expelled Afghan citizens back to their homeland. The charter flight from Qatar Airways departed from Leipzig/Halle Airport on Friday morning, carrying 28 Afghan felons who had been shifted from various federal states. The mission was primarily coordinated by the German Interior Ministry.
Deportation: A Protracted Process
Germany lacks diplomatic relations with the Taliban leaders in Kabul, but due to a deadly knife attack in Mannheim last May, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) declared the resumption of deportation for serious offenders and terrorist threats to Afghanistan and Syria.
Despite the chartered flight taking off only a week after the suspected Islamist-motivated fatal stabbing in Solingen, it had an extended preparation period, according to official sources. German media outlet "Spiegel" reported that the process had taken approximately two months.
These individuals, all classified as "hardcore offenders," had committed various crimes. Four of them were detained from prison to be deported on the flight.
Digging Deeper
- War of Words: Persistent Debate over Asylum Policies for Afghan Citizens As Germany grapples with asylum policies for Afghan citizens, conservative CDU candidate Friedrich Merz has critiqued the nation's stance, calling it lenient. He raises the question about why Germany isn't deporting those already here more frequently [1]. The issue has intensified political debates in Germany ahead of the February 23, 2025, elections, with Afghan citizens in the nation expressing concerns about potential policies of the new government, fearing mass deportations if the CDU party triumphs [1][5].
- The Big Question: Negotiations with the Taliban To carry out deportations, Germany would need to establish direct contact with the Taliban, a challenge given the suspension of diplomatic relations with Afghanistan following the Taliban's takeover in August 2021. However, confidential negotiations between Berlin and the Taliban are reportedly underway regarding the deportation of Afghan nationals considered a security threat to Germany [3].
- Public Outcry: Recent Incidents and Surging Election Discussions A recent incident in Munich, where an Afghan national drove his car into a crowd, killing a mother and her child, has further fueled debates over migration and security policies. This incident has pushed the issue of migration to the forefront of Germany’s election discussions, with many calling for stricter asylum policies [3][5].
- Persistence in Deportations Last year, Germany had deported 28 Afghans on a flight to Kabul. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser emphasized that it's essential for Germany to continue with deportations, even to Afghanistan, despite the country's troublesome status [5].
