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Germany Taliban envoys have been approved to work in Berlin and Bonn to provide consular services that enable further deportations to Afghanistan. The decision marks the first time since the Taliban seized power in 2021 that representatives of the de facto authorities have been allowed to operate inside Germany. It follows a charter on July 18, 2025, that removed 81 Afghan men with rejected asylum claims and criminal convictions in the second such flight since returns resumed.
After 81 deportations, Qatar-brokered cooperation deepens
Officials said the July 18 operation was conducted with technical assistance from Qatar, which has acted as an intermediary since Germany halted embassy operations in Kabul. The 81 men were under expulsion orders and had been convicted in German courts, according to the Interior Ministry. The flight was the first under Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the second since the policy restarted; the first took place in August 2024.
No recognition, only technical contacts
Berlin stresses that allowing the two officials does not constitute diplomatic recognition of the Taliban. The government says contacts remain strictly technical and focused on identity documentation, passport issuance and procedures needed for removals. Spokesman Steffen Kornelius linked the accreditations to the recent flight and indicated more returns are planned. Reports say the envoys will reinforce the Afghan embassy in Berlin and the consulate in Bonn, where staffing has been thin since 2021.
Germany Taliban envoys and consular role
The Foreign Office said ensuring adequate consular support for Afghans in Germany is in the public interest, naming passport issuance as an example. Officials argue that a functioning channel with consular staff reduces procedural delays and helps verify identities before flights. The two new staff members arrived over the weekend of July 19–20, according to multiple reports.
UN bodies urge halt to forced returns
The UN Human Rights Office says it is “not appropriate” to return people to Afghanistan because of continuing violations, and UN experts have called for an immediate stop to mass forced returns. UNHCR maintains a non‑return advisory, noting that humanitarian needs are acute and international appeals are badly underfunded. A recent UN briefing counted at least 485 deportations of Afghans worldwide between October 2024 and July 2025, warning of multilayered risks to those sent back.
Domestic debate intensifies over policy direction
The tougher stance is part of the Merz government’s broader migration agenda, which includes accelerating removals of convicted offenders and stepping up border enforcement. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has argued for direct arrangements with the Taliban to make deportations sustainable, a proposal that drew criticism from Social Democrats and Greens for risking regime legitimation. Deportations to Afghanistan first resumed under Olaf Scholz in August 2024, when 28 men were returned following a series of security incidents.
Rights groups and legal concerns
Human‑rights organizations, including Pro Asyl, warn that cooperation with the Taliban endangers returnees and undermines Germany’s human‑rights commitments, pointing to ongoing repression and the absence of judicial safeguards. They argue that removals may breach the principle of non‑refoulement where risks of persecution or inhuman treatment persist. Campaigners also highlight the difficulty of post‑return monitoring in Afghanistan.
Context: Russia’s recognition sets a new external backdrop
Russia formally recognized the Taliban government on July 3, 2025, becoming the first country to do so and accepting the credentials of a Taliban‑appointed ambassador in Moscow after removing the movement from its terrorist list in April. Other states maintain working contacts without formal recognition. The recognition shifts regional diplomacy as European capitals, including Berlin, continue to reject recognition while engaging on narrow consular and security issues.
Human‑rights situation remains central
The UN has recently condemned the arrests of women and girls in Kabul between July 16 and 19 for alleged dress‑code violations, citing the broader pattern of restrictions on education, work and movement under Taliban rule. These developments are a key factor in UN warnings against forced returns and in European insistence that any contacts with the authorities are limited to operational matters.
What happens next for Germany Taliban envoys
Government officials say further flights are in preparation and that the cooperation channel will remain confined to identity and travel‑document tasks. Information platforms that track migration policy note that Germany’s deportation practice to Afghanistan depends on Taliban consent and third‑country facilitation, which could affect scheduling and scope. Authorities and critics therefore expect continued legal and political scrutiny as removals proceed.
