Austria DEPORTS First Afghan After Taliban Takeover; More Expected

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Austria has deported an Afghan national back to his home country for the first time since the Taliban took control four years ago, with the conservative-led coalition government in Vienna stating that more deportations are imminent. The government has prioritized tackling illegal immigration, seemingly aiming to diminish support for the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) by focusing on one of its key issues.

The coalition government, consisting of three centrist parties, assumed office in March after the FPO secured a parliamentary victory but was unable to form a governing alliance. Despite this, the FPO continues to lead in opinion polls.

“Today, a man convicted of serious crimes was expelled to Kabul—the first deportation to Afghanistan since 2021,” tweeted Chancellor Christian Stocker of the Austrian People’s Party. “Austria is sending a clear message: there is zero tolerance for anyone who has forfeited their right to remain by committing crimes,” he added.

In July, Austria became the first EU country to send a Syrian asylum seeker back home since the conflict there began, despite human rights groups warning that the safety of returnees remains uncertain. Austria has also expressed its intention to restart deportations to Afghanistan despite similar concerns raised by advocates.

Amnesty International criticized the move, stating that Afghanistan is still one of the most perilous nations globally. “Deporting individuals to a state that commits atrocities against its own people is a willful denial of protection and a violation of law,” the organization declared, urging an immediate halt to such actions.

Syria and Afghanistan are the leading countries of origin for asylum seekers in Austria. The government has indicated that those slated for deportation will primarily be criminal offenders initially. “The Interior Ministry under Gerhard Karner is preparing additional deportations,” stated Stocker.

This deportation occurs just one day after the EU announced it has “started exploratory talks” with the Taliban regime aimed at increasing deportations of unsuccessful asylum applicants. A coalition of 20 EU member states, led by Belgium, urged Brussels to engage with Kabul to facilitate the return of those with no legal right to stay in Europe.