In a striking shift of policy, the German federal government is reportedly preparing to enter direct negotiations with the Taliban in Kabul as early as October over the deportation of Afghan nationals, Spiegel Politik reports. The move signals a sharp departure from past reliance on third-party intermediaries and has already drawn fierce criticism from human rights organisations.

A representative of the Federal Ministry of the Interior is said to have confirmed plans to dispatch officials to the Afghan capital next month to establish mechanisms for returning so-called serious criminals and security risks, it has been reported.

In recent months, the subject of deporting several million Afghans back to Afghanistan has made headlines across southern Asia, with Iran and Pakistan in particular keen to return large numbers of Afghans, many of whom have spent decades abroad.

Germany has long lacked diplomatic representation in Afghanistan since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021. Previous repatriation efforts relied on third-party intermediaries – most notably Qatar - to help broach deals for charter flights.

According to the report in Spiegel Politik, the decision comes amid growing domestic and international controversy. Pro Asyl, Germany’s leading refugee rights organisation, castigated the shift, arguing that such deportations may violate international law given the deteriorating human rights situation in Afghanistan, including reports of reprisals, eroded civil liberties, and draconian penalties for minor infractions.

It has also been speculated that Germany might be readying to accept a liaison presence on the part of the Afghan government, that stops short of full recognition.

In recent months, debates have intensified over whether Germany and other countries in Europe should resume deportations of serious offenders to Afghanistan, and while some government officials see the move as fulfilling a duty to deter crime and maintain order, critics warn of grave legal and moral risks, the report adds.