Austria has deported an Afghan asylum seeker convicted of a serious crime to Kabul, marking the first deportation to Afghanistan since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, Austrian media reported.

The man had previously been sentenced to four years in prison for sexual assault and aggravated battery. After serving his sentence, he was transferred on Tuesday, 21 October, from Vienna to Istanbul and then on to Kabul.

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said the government maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward individuals who lose their right to stay in the country due to criminal offences. “Anyone who does not follow our rules will have to leave,” he said.

Interior Minister Gerhard Karner confirmed that more deportations are being prepared, adding that the process would continue “with determination.”

The move follows an earlier Austrian delegation visit to Kabul to assess the feasibility of deportations. In September, representatives of the Taliban travelled to Vienna to coordinate the technical details of the plan.

According to Austrian reports, around 30 more Afghan nationals are currently on the list for deportation to Afghanistan.