By Smartencyclopedia with Agencies 

Islamabad — Germany has deported a group of 28 Afghan asylum-seekers, marking the first such repatriation since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021. The deportees, who were convicted of criminal offenses in Germany, arrived in Kabul on Friday aboard a chartered flight, where they were immediately detained by Taliban authorities for investigation, according to witnesses.

Upon arrival in the Afghan capital, journalists were barred from accessing the airport, and the Taliban have yet to release an official statement regarding the fate of the deportees or whether the repatriation was coordinated between Kabul and Berlin.

A spokesperson for the German government stated on its official website that the Afghan nationals had been deported due to their criminal convictions, lack of legal residency, and existing return orders. Steffen Hebestreit, the spokesperson, noted that this repatriation marked the first of its kind since Germany halted deportations following the Taliban’s return to power.

“The federal government will continue with such returns,” Hebestreit affirmed. “The security interests of Germany outweigh the claim for protection of criminals and individuals endangering national security.”

Germany had previously suspended deportations to Afghanistan due to concerns over the safety of returnees under the new Taliban regime. The German embassy in Kabul was also closed as part of the preventive measures taken at the time.

Hebestreit did not comment on reports from German media that the deportation flight was the result of two months of secret negotiations between Germany and the Taliban, with Qatar reportedly acting as an intermediary. However, he acknowledged the support of “key regional partners” in facilitating the return, expressing gratitude without further details.

Among the deportees were individuals convicted of violent and sexual offenses, including a man involved in the gang rape of a 14-year-old girl. The decision to resume deportations follows a week after a deadly knife attack at a street festival in Solingen, Germany, which claimed three lives. The Islamic State extremist group claimed the attack and was allegedly carried out by a 26-year-old Syrian man.

The issue of deporting serious criminals has been a contentious one in Germany, particularly in light of a reported increase in criminal activities involving Afghan nationals. Last May, an Afghan asylum-seeker was accused of killing a German police officer in Mannheim, sparking renewed debate about the deportation of criminals to countries like Afghanistan and Syria, despite their unsafe conditions.

Since retaking power, the Taliban have enforced a strict interpretation of Islamic law in Afghanistan, severely restricting personal freedoms, particularly those of women and girls. Girls have been barred from education beyond the sixth grade, and women have been largely excluded from the workforce. These actions have led to widespread international condemnation and have hindered the Taliban’s efforts to gain official recognition from foreign governments.