Germany Plans Repatriation of Syrian and Afghan Asylum Seekers

Germany is moving forward with controversial plans to resume deportations of rejected asylum seekers to both Syria and Afghanistan, raising alarm among rights groups and refugee advocates.

According to Shia Waves Persian, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt confirmed that Berlin intends to sign an agreement with Damascus by the end of 2025 to enable the return of Syrians, beginning with those convicted of crimes, followed by individuals without legal residency. He also ordered the review of suspended cases involving Syrian nationals to facilitate removals.

In parallel, Germany’s Interior Ministry will dispatch senior officials to Kabul in October for direct talks with the Taliban. The aim is to negotiate a framework allowing Afghan nationals considered criminals or security risks to be deported regularly on commercial flights. Two earlier expulsions to Kabul, conducted via Qatari mediation, marked the first such operations since the Taliban takeover in 2021. In July alone, 81 Afghans were returned under this program.

The government argues that deportations must be “systematic and consistent,” stressing a distinction between well-integrated migrants and those without legitimate claims to asylum. However, rights organizations warn that forced returns to Syria and Afghanistan expose individuals to grave risks due to ongoing insecurity and widespread human rights abuses.

Analysts note that the initiative reflects mounting domestic pressure on Berlin to tighten migration policy, even as humanitarian groups urge adherence to international asylum protections.