Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) has temporarily suspended the processing of applications for admission from people from Afghanistan after indications of possible attempts at abuse. The decision to suspend these procedures at the German embassies in the Pakistani capital Islamabad and the Iranian capital Tehran applies with immediate effect, according to diplomatic circles in Berlin.

After there had been isolated indications of possible attempts at abuse in the past few weeks, the Foreign Office and the Ministry of the Interior had jointly checked the processes at the Islamabad Embassy, ​​it said. Among other things, it was agreed to introduce an additional security survey to prevent attempts at deception. The aim is to resume the procedure in the next few days as soon as the additional survey has been implemented.

So far 30,000 people have been admitted from Afghanistan

The Federal Foreign Office said that since the Taliban took power, German missions abroad have issued more than 28,600 visas for Afghans who the federal government has promised to be admitted to Germany. Among them are around 4100 local workers. So far, around 30,000 people from Afghanistan have been admitted to Germany, including former local staff and people who are particularly at risk, as well as members of both groups. Overall, the federal government has so far promised more than 44,000 Afghans admission to Germany.

Especially since the militant Islamic Taliban seized power in August 2021, former employees of foreign armed forces and aid organizations, so-called local workers, as well as human rights activists have had to expect persecution. The Bundeswehr left Afghanistan in June 2021 faster than originally planned and followed the time schedule set by the USA at the time.