Germany Deports 28 Afghan Nationals Following Taliban Takeover in 2021

Germany has deported 28 Afghan nationals back to their homeland for the first time since August 2021, when the Taliban took power in Afghanistan. The deportations were carried out on a chartered Qatar Airways flight from Leipzig airport to Kabul. German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser stated that the move was a security issue for Germany, while Chancellor Olaf Scholz described it as a clear sign that those who commit crimes will be deported. The deportations came after a deadly knife attack in Solingen, and are seen as a symbolic gesture before elections. It is unlikely that this move will lead to a wider thawing of relations between Germany and the Taliban, given that Germany does not have diplomatic relations with the Taliban.