The United Kingdom is contemplating a potential reassessment of Afghan asylum returns amidst escalating humanitarian concerns, as per Afghan media reports. Discussions between Taliban authorities and the European Union regarding possible return arrangements are being closely monitored by London. The UK is not ruling out the option of sending back rejected Afghan asylum seekers, although formal recognition of Taliban authorities is currently lacking, preventing such deportations.
This prospective move, if implemented, is expected to face strong opposition from human rights organizations and would mark a significant departure from the existing UK policy, especially given the deteriorating situation in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Afghans constituted the largest group of arrivals in the UK through small boats in the year ending June 2025, with over 6,000 individuals arriving, while approval rates for asylum have notably declined in recent years, according to Khaama Press.
Across Europe, multiple countries are also exploring the possibility of returns, with reports indicating that more than 20 EU member states are contemplating similar measures despite ongoing legal and humanitarian apprehensions. Afghanistan is grappling with a severe humanitarian crisis characterized by widespread poverty, unemployment, and aid shortages, leading to millions relying on assistance. Additionally, women and girls are confronting extensive restrictions on education, employment, and public participation.
Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur for Afghanistan, expressed unease over purported plans by European officials to engage in discussions with Taliban representatives regarding the deportation of Afghan migrants. He cautioned that such repatriations could potentially breach international law, citing concerns about human rights violations against women, human rights defenders, and former public servants in Afghanistan. European Union officials are reportedly mulling over talks with a Taliban delegation in Brussels on the logistics of returning Afghan nationals without legal status in the bloc, including flight arrangements and post-arrival conditions in Kabul. However, these plans have already attracted criticism from some European lawmakers, as reported by Amu TV.
