Nineteen European countries have formally asked the European Commission to assist in returning undocumented Afghan migrants; voluntarily or by force; to Afghanistan, reigniting a politically charged debate over migration and morality, according to TOLOnews.
Officials from the participating nations say that without a formal agreement with Kabul, deportations remain nearly impossible, particularly for individuals accused of crimes. To resolve this, they propose opening a dialogue with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, despite the lack of diplomatic recognition since the Taliban takeover in 2021.
Germany’s Interior Minister confirmed earlier this year that her government had resumed “technical discussions” with Afghan authorities on the issue and sent a delegation to Kabul to address cases involving migrants facing criminal charges.
Critics, however, warn that such moves risk violating international humanitarian law. “Forcibly returning asylum seekers to Afghanistan under current conditions contradicts humanitarian principles and refugee protection obligations,” said Alireza Karimi, a refugee rights activist.
Political analyst Wais Naseri noted that the deportation push is “a serious issue,” since “none of the European states, the EU, or most countries around the world have formal relations with Afghanistan’s current rulers.”
Kabul’s leadership has meanwhile reiterated its openness to dialogue. In July, the Islamic Emirate stated it supports “peaceful solutions” to migrant challenges through cooperation with host nations.
