Germany Deports 23 Afghan Men to Kabul on Charter Flight

Germany deported 23 Afghan men to Kabul on a charter flight from Leipzig/Halle Airport in the early hours of August 25, escorted by federal police. Most of the men had been convicted of serious crimes including sexual offenses and bodily harm, though the government has quietly widened the policy to also remove Afghans without criminal records, per Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt. The flight brings the total to roughly 228 Afghan men returned since Chancellor Friedrich Merz took office in 2025 (some outlets reported the flight's size as closer to 30). Around 50 protesters gathered at Leipzig airport with banners reading "Stop Deportations — Refugees Welcome," while opposition lawmakers and rights groups renewed criticism of Berlin's cooperation with the Taliban regime to arrange the returns.