Taliban expresses concern over US plan to deport Afghans via Pakistan

Summarised from 4 outlets · Updated 3 Nov, 02:33 · Archive

The Trump administration plans to deport nearly 150 to 200 Afghan nationals through Pakistan to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, prompting concern from the Taliban government and advocacy groups.

The Trump administration is planning to deport Afghan nationals held in US immigration custody by routing them through Pakistan for onward transfer to Afghanistan. More than 150 Afghans are affected by the plan, according to US media reports and advocacy groups, though a US immigration official said the figure could be nearly 200. The deportees include relatives of Afghans who assisted US forces before the 2021 American withdrawal.

Afghanistan's Taliban foreign ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi expressed 'serious concern' over the plan on Monday, stating: 'The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan expresses its serious concern over reports that the United States intends to deport some Afghan refugees to Pakistan who have not yet been able to obtain legal residency documents in that country.'

Advocacy groups, including AfghanEvac, have warned that the removals could endanger the lives of deportees, particularly those with family connections to US military operations. They fear those being returned could face persecution by the Taliban despite the government's announced general amnesty for Afghans who worked with Western-backed forces.

The UN has documented reports of extrajudicial killings, detentions and abuses by Taliban authorities since they regained power in 2021. However, Taliban officials have repeated assurances this year that former allies could safely return home.

The US lacks official diplomatic relations with the Taliban government and suspended operations at its Kabul embassy in 2021, making direct deportations impossible. A US immigration enforcement officer confirmed in a sworn declaration that deportation flights would land in Pakistan before deportees are transported overland to Afghanistan.

A US official told CBS News that the plans remain in flux and no certain deportation date has been set. The Trump administration issued travel bans on several countries, including Afghanistan, last year as part of a broader immigration crackdown and has sought to end deportation protections for Afghans granted special immigrant visas after the Taliban takeover.

How it is being reported

• ICE planning to deport Afghans through Pakistan, official saysThe plan has triggered alarm among advocates for Afghans, who warn that the proposal could lead to the deportation of Afghans who could be persecuted by the Taliban.CBS News · 3 Nov, 02:27
• US lawmakers ask Trump administration to stop deportation of AfghansAt least 150 Afghans are facing deportation to Pakistan and on to Afghanistan.Al Jazeera · 3 Nov, 02:12
• Taliban voices 'serious concern' over US plans to deport Afghans via PakistanAdvocacy groups have warned that the removal of former allies and their families could endanger their lives.Euronews · 2 Nov, 12:52
• Taliban voices 'serious concern' over US plan to deport Afghan migrants via PakistanAfghanistan's Taliban government expressed concern on Monday over reported US plans to deport more than 150 Afghans from the US to Pakistan for an eventual return home, with advocacy groups warning the removal could endanger their lives.France 24 · 2 Nov, 07:26

In this story: Taliban · United States · Pakistan · Afghanistan · Donald Trump · Abdul Qahar Balkhi · United Nations

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log