Twenty-six Afghans deported from Germany arrive in Kabul

Twenty-six men arrived in Kabul early on Wednesday after being deported from Germany, an official from the Afghan Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation said. The chartered flight landed at 6:35 am (0205 GMT), an airport official said.

It marked the 36th deportation flight from Germany to Afghanistan since December 2016. A total of 989 failed asylum seekers have been sent back to Afghanistan since then.

The deportations have been deeply controversial, with critics saying the war-torn country is too dangerous to send asylum seekers back to.

Almost daily attacks by Taliban militants are taking a toll on civilians in the country. The Islamic State is also active in the country.

Despite the start of peace talks, the conflict between the Taliban and the Afghan government continues and the security situation is deteriorating. The peace talks are stalled right now and both warring sides are preparing for another season of war.

Afghanistan has been a battleground for four decades. In addition to regular clashes across the country, targeted killings and bomb attacks now occur almost daily in the capital Kabul.

In the past nine days, at least 16 bomb attacks have rocked various parts of Kabul city where the deportee's plane landed on Wednesday.

In addition, the coronavirus pandemic has further worsened Afghans' living conditions. The UN warns that 18 million Afghans will be in need of help this year due to the pandemic and conflict.    (dpa)