The German government has approved the deployment of two Taliban-appointed consular officers to Afghanistan’s diplomatic missions in Berlin and Bonn as part of efforts to facilitate the deportation of Afghan nationals with criminal convictions.

Government spokesperson Stefan Cornelius confirmed that Sayed Mustafa Hashemi and Nabrasul Haq Aziz have been designated as second secretaries to serve at the Afghan Embassy in Berlin and the consulate in Bonn. The decision comes in the wake of a recent deportation flight that returned 81 Afghans to Kabul.

The move aims to streamline logistical and documentation processes for future repatriation flights. According to officials, the primary focus remains on deporting individuals identified as security threats or convicted of criminal offenses.

Despite this arrangement, the German government reiterated that it does not recognise the Taliban as the legitimate governing authority of Afghanistan under international law. Contacts with the group remain at a strictly technical level.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz said diplomatic ties with Afghanistan have not been fully severed, but formal recognition of the Taliban administration is not under consideration.