Beatrix von Storch’s comments come as Germany continues a deportation policy targeting rejected asylum seekers and convicted offenders

BERLIN: A senior German lawmaker has called for the government to accelerate deportations of undocumented Afghan migrants, arguing that Germany’s military has the logistical capacity to carry out the removals and suggesting the navy could also be used if it proved more efficient.

Beatrix von Storch, deputy leader of the parliamentary group for the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, made the remarks in a post on X on Saturday, describing faster deportations as a practical necessity.

Von Storch argued that if the German military had been capable of airlifting thousands of Afghan staff and at-risk civilians out of Kabul during the 2021 evacuation, it should equally be capable of using military aircraft to deport Afghans whose asylum claims have been rejected or who have been convicted of serious crimes. She said Germany’s navy could also be deployed to facilitate deportations if that route proved more cost-effective or practical than air transport.

Von Storch’s comments follow Germany’s resumption of deportation flights to Afghanistan, the first since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. Berlin carried out its initial deportation flight in 2024, returning convicted Afghan offenders through arrangements with third countries, since Germany does not maintain formal diplomatic relations with the Taliban government. Discussions have since expanded to include the removal of rejected asylum seekers with criminal records.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government has defended the policy, saying that individuals who have exhausted legal avenues to remain in Germany, or who have been convicted of serious crimes, must be subject to stricter enforcement of immigration law in the interest of public safety. Migration has become a central and contentious issue in German politics, with the AfD’s rising influence keeping pressure on mainstream parties over the issue.

Germany’s cooperation with the Taliban to facilitate deportations has drawn strong criticism from human rights organizations, refugee advocacy groups, and opposition politicians, who argue that any engagement with the Taliban to enable returns risks legitimizing a government the United Nations has accused of widespread human rights abuses, particularly against women, journalists, and former government employees.

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has specifically urged governments not to forcibly return Afghans who may face persecution, arbitrary detention, or other serious risks under Taliban rule.

The Taliban has said it welcomes the return of Afghan nationals and has called on European governments to resume diplomatic engagement. However, no European Union member state currently recognizes the Taliban government, leaving deportations to Afghanistan a politically and legally contentious issue across Europe.