After the Americans, German diplomats also held negotiations in Doha with representatives of the Afghan Taliban regime in order to discuss options for those people "for whom Germany has a special responsibility" to leave the country.

According to a communication from the Foreign Office, ways of “safe and unhindered departure” were discussed, but also “compliance with human and, in particular, women's rights” as well as “issues of security and the terrorist threat emanating from Afghan soil”.

When discussing exit options, the aim is to verify previous Taliban commitments to the departure of foreign nationals and former local workers, and to identify safe travel routes.

Johannes Leithäuser

Political correspondent in Berlin.

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According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, 6,078 people have come to Germany since the collapse of the Afghan government, including 543 German citizens and 5,208 Afghans, most of whom had previously been classified as in need of protection.

The Federal Foreign Office states that since the end of the airlift to return from Kabul, a total of around 830 visas have been issued in the German embassies of the neighboring Afghan states for former local workers, their relatives or other persons in need of protection, which enables them to enter Germany.

The Federal Foreign Office states that it will continue to work with the governments of “the neighboring countries”, but also with “various local actors” in order to enable further departures.

Double obstacle when leaving the country

The focus of the trip to neighboring countries is Pakistan and the German embassy in Islamabad. So far, refugees from Afghanistan have come there by land. But there are also charter flights that take off from Kabul on behalf of the government of Qatar, and allow Western foreigners and occasional Afghan forces to leave the country. However, there is a twofold obstacle: travelers not only have to be able to document their authorization to leave the country, they also need valid papers to enter Pakistan. The authorities there want to ensure that no Afghan refugees come to them who stay in the country instead of traveling to neighboring countries.

The Federal Foreign Office estimates the total number of those wishing to leave Afghanistan who want to leave Afghanistan either as German citizens or as local workers with families or as people in particular need of protection at around 26,000 people.

Around 200 refugees are currently making their way to neighboring countries every week.

The negotiations with the Taliban in Doha aim to increase this number.

Talks are also being held with neighboring countries about the modalities under which refugees may enter as transit travelers before they can be brought on to Germany.

The Federal Foreign Office is already using charter flights from Islamabad for this purpose.