Germany deports 28 “convicted” Afghans back home
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Germany announced on Friday deporting 28 Afghans back to their country as it responds to increasing pressure to manage immigration more strictly after mass stabbing.
A government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said in a statement the deported individuals were Afghan nationals who had been convicted of crimes and had been ordered to leave Germany as they did not have the right to remain in the country.
“The security interests of Germany clearly outweigh the claim for protection of criminals and individuals endangering national security,” Hebestreit said in a statement.
This is the first time such deportations have occurred since the Taliban took control of the country in 2021.
On Aug 26, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz vowed his government would increase deportations following the Solingen attack.
“We will have to do everything we can to ensure that those who cannot and are not allowed to stay in Germany are repatriated and deported,” Scholz told reporters during his visit to Solingen.
Moreover, Hebestreit pointed out that the deportations had been planned for several months. However, they took place just a week after a fatal knife attack in Solingen, where the attacker, a Syrian national, had applied for asylum in Germany.
The Islamic State group (ISIS) claimed responsibility for the attack that took place on Aug. 23 during a festival in Solingen, which resulted in the killing of three people and injuries to eight others.