Germany is poised to resume its program for accepting Afghan nationals next week, with the arrival of an initial group scheduled for Monday. Sources within the government indicate the individuals will travel from Islamabad, Pakistan, with a layover in Istanbul, before arriving in Hannover, Germany.
The group of approximately 50 people includes women and children. According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI), roughly a dozen of those arriving are Afghans who directly assisted the German Armed Forces during their deployment in Afghanistan, or who are considered to be at risk due to their opposition to the Taliban regime. The remainder of the group consists of family members of these primary applicants.
These individuals are among the nearly 2,300 people currently in Pakistan who have received preliminary acceptance pledges from Germany.
Security officials have confirmed there are currently no security concerns regarding the passengers on the scheduled flight. All individuals have undergone comprehensive security checks, including identity and document verification by the Federal Police’s document and visa advisors, as well as detailed security interviews conducted by German security agencies at the German Embassy in Islamabad. Each case was assessed individually.