Germany, Netherlands suspend deportation of refugees to Afghanistan as fighting rages on

Berlin [Germany], August 11 (ANI): Germany and the Netherlands have suspended deportations of Afghanistan refugees amid the escalating violence between government forces and Taliban, in which the latter has captured nine provincial capitals in the war-torn country.

The German Interior Ministry on Wednesday said that Germany will temporarily stop the deportation of asylum seekers to Afghanistan due to the unstable security situation, Deutsche Welle (DW) reported. The publication said that the decision comes after the Netherlands suspended deportations to Afghanistan for six months.

Earlier today, the German Interior Ministry said it believed it would still be possible to deport Afghan asylum seekers, despite the Taliban quickly retaking parts of the country. In addition, Interior Ministry spokesperson Steve Alter also said that nearly 30,000 Afghans in Germany were slated for deportation.

Alter further stated that the Ministry “continues to be of the view that there are people in Germany who need to leave the country, as soon as possible,” DW News reported. It further reported that in the Netherlands, Ankie Broekers-Knol, the state secretary in the Ministry of Justice, said on Wednesday deportations would be suspended for the next 12 months due to the Taliban’s advances across Afghanistan.

Last week, the Dutch government urged the Afghan government to continue to accept failed asylum seekers. Afghanistan is witnessing a surge in violence as the Taliban has intensified its offensive against Afghan forces and civilians with the complete pullback of foreign forces just a few weeks away.

In the last few days alone, the Taliban have captured nine out of 34 provincial capitals. (ANI)