Germany Sends First Deportation Flight to Afghanistan Since Taliban Takeover

Pressure has been mounting on Berlin to take a tougher stance on migration after a fatal stabbing attack was carried out by an asylum seeker last week.

Police and ambulances near the scene where people were killed and injured in an attack at a festival in Solingen, western Germany, on Aug. 23, 2024. Gianni Gattus/dpa via AP

Germany resumed flying convicted Afghan criminals to their home country on Friday, as Berlin reversed its policy on deportations to the Taliban-run nation.

Der Spiegel reported that a flight from Leipzig to Kabul took off on Friday morning with 28 convicted criminals aboard after months of secret negotiations mediated by Qatar.