Human Rights | Germany's Interior Ministry says 40 Afghan men it describes as convicted offenders were flown from Leipzig to Kabul on a charter flight on Wednesday

ACW | October 28, 2026 — Germany's Interior Ministry said on Wednesday, October 28, that 40 Afghan men were returned to Kabul on a charter flight from Leipzig/Halle airport; the ministry says all of them had committed crimes.

A ministry spokesperson told the German news agency dpa the plane took off from Leipzig/Halle and landed in Kabul. According to the ministry, the offences include homicide, rape, sexual abuse of children, bodily harm and drug trafficking.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt told the newspaper Bild: "Offenders must leave our country." He added: "That is also why returns to Afghanistan are a regular and reliable part of our migration policy."

Ten German states took part in the flight. The ministry says 303 Afghan men have been returned from Germany to Afghanistan since the current legislative term began.

Published reports contain no response from the Taliban authorities.

Background: dpa reports that Germany's first collective return after the Taliban takeover in August 2021 took place in 2024 with Qatar's help. In February 2026, federal police flew 20 men directly to Kabul without a third country's help, "on the basis of an agreement with the Taliban." ACW earlier reported that the Taliban announced the forced return of 819 Afghan families in six days.

Why it matters: According to dpa, hundreds of people demonstrated at several German airports last weekend against returns to Afghanistan; Der Spiegel writes that protesters criticised the government's cooperation with the Taliban in organising the flights.

ACW will continue to follow this story.

Sources: dpa via t-online Leipzig — "Offenders must leave our country": new return flight from Leipzig; Der Spiegel (via UA.NEWS)

Photo: Michael Solo / Pexels (illustrative)