The German government has approved the deployment of two diplomats appointed by the Taliban-led government in Kabul to the Afghan Embassy in Berlin and the consulate in Bonn. The move is intended to facilitate the deportation of Afghan nationals with criminal records residing in Germany.
The two officials, Sayed Mustafa Hashemi and Nabrasul Haq Aziz, have been designated as second secretaries for the embassy and consulate, respectively. With this decision, Germany becomes the second European nation—after Norway in April—to allow Taliban representatives to operate from Afghan diplomatic missions on its soil.
Earlier this month, Germany’s Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt voiced support for allowing the Taliban to operate diplomatic offices in Germany, citing the need for direct engagement to ensure effective deportation procedures. He acknowledged that without Kabul’s cooperation, deporting Afghan nationals—particularly those convicted of crimes—would be significantly hindered.
In July 2024, the Taliban government declared it would no longer recognize Afghan passports and visas issued by diplomatic missions still run by personnel appointed under the former government of President Ashraf Ghani. The move was part of a broader campaign by the Taliban to assert control over Afghan embassies abroad and to solidify its push for international recognition.
However, the effort has faced resistance. In November, Lutfullah Sadat, the Afghan consul in Bonn, resigned under pressure from the German government after refusing to engage with the Taliban-led government.
Following Kabul’s declaration last year, several Afghan embassies and consulates—including those in Washington, D.C. and London—were closed after their host countries declined continued support for the missions. Meanwhile, other missions in the West have quietly begun working with Kabul to avoid shutdowns.
The German government has clarified that this arrangement does not amount to formal recognition of the Taliban regime. Nonetheless, Berlin noted that without coordination with Taliban authorities to process passports and travel documentation for deportees, it had been forced to rely on third-party mediation—particularly from Qatar—significantly complicating the process.