Germany Drops Commitment to Resettle Hundreds of Afghans Awaiting Relocation

According to Rokna, citing The Guardian, the decision affects several hundred Afghans who had already been approved for relocation to Germany under humanitarian admission programmes. Many of them had worked with German institutions, foreign organisations or international missions in Afghanistan and fled the country fearing reprisals.

According to officials familiar with the matter, Germany’s interior authorities have begun notifying those affected that their cases will no longer proceed. In messages sent to applicants, they were informed that there is no longer sufficient political interest to continue with their admission to Germany.

Most of those impacted are currently living in Pakistan, where they travelled after escaping Afghanistan. Many are reported to be living without legal status, facing the risk of detention or deportation as Pakistani authorities intensify efforts to remove undocumented migrants.

The move marks a sharp reversal of earlier assurances given by the German government, which had pledged to provide safe haven to Afghans deemed at risk because of their past work or public profile. Germany had presented these programmes as a moral responsibility following the withdrawal of Western forces from Afghanistan in 2021.

Human rights advocates have warned that abandoning the resettlement promises could expose vulnerable Afghans to serious danger, including persecution by the Taliban if forced to return. Critics argue that the decision undermines Germany’s credibility and sends a troubling signal about Europe’s commitment to protecting those who assisted Western governments.

German officials have cited administrative bottlenecks, security concerns and shifting political priorities as factors behind the change. The decision comes amid growing domestic pressure to curb migration and tighten asylum policies.

For many of the affected Afghans, the announcement has brought shock and despair. Some have spent months, or even years, waiting for permission to travel, selling belongings and putting their lives on hold in anticipation of relocation that now appears unlikely.

The situation adds to mounting international concern over the fate of Afghans who fled their country after the Taliban takeover and remain in limbo across the region, with limited protection and few legal pathways to safety.