Afghanistan Germany deports Syrians for the first time after civil war
For the first time since the beginning of the Syrian civil war, Germany has deported a convicted criminal to Syria. He was handed over to the authorities in the Syrian capital Damascus this morning, the German Interior Ministry announced.
23.12.2025, 13:53
SDA
The man had been serving a prison sentence in the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia for particularly serious robbery, assault and extortion. The "Bild" newspaper reported earlier.
A criminal had already been deported from Germany to Afghanistan in the morning. According to the ministry, this was the second deportation of an Afghan criminal within a week.
Deportations also to Syria in the coalition agreement
Germany's Christian Democrat Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt stated: "Deportations to Syria and Afghanistan must be possible. Our society has a legitimate interest in criminals leaving our country. We stand for control, consistency and a clear edge."
The Christian Democratic Union (CDU and CSU) of Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the Social Democratic SPD, who have been in government together since May, had agreed on deportations to Syria in the coalition agreement. It states: "We will deport people to Afghanistan and Syria - starting with criminals and people at risk."
The Afghan criminal had reportedly served time in prison in Bavaria for intentional bodily harm, among other things.
Talks with the Syrian government and representatives of Afghanistan
The German Ministry of the Interior has held talks with both the Syrian government and representatives of those responsible in Afghanistan in recent months, it was reported. There are now agreements that deportations of criminals and people posing a threat could take place on a regular basis in future.
Merz had recently made it clear that he wanted to personally lobby the Syrian interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa for a rapid resumption of deportations to Syria. "The civil war in Syria is over. There are now no longer any grounds for asylum in Germany, which is why we can also begin repatriations," said the CDU leader at the beginning of November.
In Syria, long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad was overthrown by the Islamist militia HTS, led by al-Sharaa, just over a year ago. He was appointed interim president and has since steered the country towards an opening and rapprochement with the West.
