Taliban voices concern over US plan to deport Afghans via Pakistan

Afghanistan's Taliban authorities expressed serious concern on Monday over reported plans by Washington to deport more than 150 Afghan immigrants to Pakistan, Euronews, France 24, and RTÉ reported. The reports stated that the deportations aim for the migrants' eventual return to their home country. According to Euronews, the Taliban foreign ministry raised concern over Afghans who have not yet obtained legal residency documents in the United States. [1][2][3]

Advocacy groups warned that removing former allies and their families could endanger their lives, Euronews and France 24 reported. The planned deportations cover more than 150 Afghan nationals currently in the United States, including relatives of individuals who assisted American forces prior to their withdrawal, according to Euronews, RTÉ, and France 24. [1][2][3]

The Taliban is a Sunni Islamist political and militant organization that has governed Afghanistan since 2021. The group previously ruled the country from 1996 to 2001 before being overthrown following the United States invasion, after which it fought a twenty-year war that ended with its return to power. [11]

Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have escalated in recent months. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Pakistan conducted airstrikes in Afghanistan after both sides cited conflicting casualty figures, with the Taliban reporting civilian deaths and Pakistan claiming to target militants. [16]