France confirms talks with Taliban to deport Afghans considered security risk

What is France discussing with the Taliban, and which Afghan nationals could be deported?

France is holding talks with Taliban authorities to make deportations to Afghanistan possible. The discussions concern Afghan nationals who are in France illegally and are considered a threat to national security or public safety. France says the talks do not recognise the Taliban government. The issue matters because France has no diplomatic relations with the Taliban, yet is communicating with them over removals.

The key mechanism is a strictly technical dialogue. French officials say it is intended to arrange the removal of people described as dangerous. The government has not published a total, but a source familiar with the matter told AFP that the number could reach hundreds. The talks would allow returns directly to Afghanistan rather than through another country.

France says it will continue supporting the Afghan population, especially women. However, the Taliban authorities impose severe restrictions on women and girls, and UNAMA has reported arrests, threats, beatings, and verbal abuse. Any deportations would therefore take place amid continuing concern about conditions in Afghanistan and criticism from rights organisations.

What does deportation mean in this situation?

In this situation, deportation means France arranging for certain Afghan nationals to leave French territory and return to Afghanistan. It concerns people who are in France illegally and whom French authorities consider a threat to public safety or national security. Deportation is an official state action, not simply a person choosing to return. The article presents the proposed destination as Afghanistan.

The practical mechanism is the dialogue between French officials and Taliban authorities. France says the talks are strictly technical and are designed to facilitate removals. Such cooperation could help establish how people are identified, transferred, and received. The article does not describe the individual procedures or say whether every targeted person has been convicted of a crime.

The plan is controversial because France does not officially recognise the Taliban government, and its embassy in Kabul is closed. Rights organisations oppose deportations to Afghanistan. Their concern is heightened by reports of restrictions, arrests, threats, beatings, and verbal abuse against women under Taliban rule.

How many Afghan nationals might France deport?

The exact number of Afghan nationals France might deport remains unknown. The French government has not disclosed how many people are being considered. However, a source familiar with the matter told AFP that the total could amount to “hundreds.” That makes the possible operation much larger than a single exceptional removal, while leaving its final scale uncertain.

The proposed deportations concern Afghan nationals living in France illegally who are considered security threats. French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux said the purpose was to protect French people from dangerous individuals. The talks with Taliban authorities are intended to facilitate removal directly to Afghanistan. The article does not provide a list of names or a confirmed count.

The estimate may change as the discussions develop. France has not recognised the Taliban authorities and says the talks are technical rather than diplomatic. Meanwhile, European countries are also pursuing returns, especially for Afghans convicted of offences. Germany, Belgium, and Sweden have opened similar communication channels, while rights groups continue to object.

Why does France describe the talks as technical rather than diplomatic recognition of the Taliban government?

France describes the discussions as technical to separate practical cooperation from political recognition. The talks concern how to remove Afghan nationals who are in France illegally and considered security risks. According to the Foreign Ministry, this limited purpose does not mean France accepts the Taliban as Afghanistan’s legitimate government. France and the European Union still do not officially recognise the Taliban authorities.

The mechanism is direct communication about deportations. France has had no diplomatic relations with the Taliban since they returned to power in August 2021, and its embassy in Kabul remains closed. Yet officials are discussing the logistics of returning people to Afghanistan. French spokesperson Pascal Confavreux called the dialogue strictly technical and linked it to protecting French public safety.

France says the contact does not change its position on Afghanistan. A diplomatic source said Paris would continue supporting the Afghan population, particularly women. The distinction may allow limited practical cooperation while France maintains political distance. Similar channels opened by Germany, Belgium, and Sweden show that this approach is part of a wider European effort.

What could happen to the people deported to Afghanistan, given the Taliban’s restrictions and reported abuses?

Deported people would be returned to Afghanistan while the Taliban impose a strict interpretation of Islamic law. Women face restrictions on entering public places and working in most jobs. Girls are barred from education beyond age 12. These conditions matter because returnees could be placed under the authority of the same system that limits women’s movement, work, education, and autonomy.

UNAMA reported that at least 52 women and one girl were arrested or detained in Kabul and Herat between July and September. It also reported threats against other women, plus verbal abuse and beatings, including against female shopkeepers. These reports show the wider human-rights environment described in the article, though it does not identify consequences for particular people deported from France.

Human-rights organisations oppose deportations to Afghanistan. They argue that returning people to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan is unacceptable, while European governments seek faster removals. France says its targets are dangerous security risks, but the article gives no details about their individual circumstances. Future returns would therefore remain politically and ethically contentious.

Why are several European countries trying to create channels with the Taliban for deportations, despite not officially recognising their government?

Several European countries are trying to speed up deportations because they want to return Afghans who are living illegally in Europe, particularly those convicted of offences. France is joining an effort involving about 20 EU countries. The immediate goal is practical: create a way to arrange returns to Afghanistan despite the absence of normal diplomatic recognition.

The key mechanism is limited communication with Taliban authorities. Germany, Belgium, and Sweden have opened channels, and Germany sent at least two charter flights carrying Afghans to Kabul over the summer. Not everyone on those flights had been convicted of a criminal offence. These examples show how governments can pursue removals through direct contact while keeping their formal political position unchanged.

The approach has triggered criticism from non-governmental organisations and human-rights groups. France and the EU do not officially recognise the Taliban, and France’s Kabul embassy is closed. The effort will continue to face opposition because the Taliban restrict women and girls and UNAMA reports arrests, threats, beatings, and abuse.

What is the principle of non-refoulement, and why is it important when countries consider returning people to places where they may face persecution or serious harm?

Non-refoulement is a foundational principle of refugee and human-rights protection. In established international law, it generally bars a country from sending someone to a place where they face persecution, torture, or other serious and irreparable harm. The principle focuses on the danger a person may face after return, not only on whether that person entered or remained unlawfully.

Applied here, authorities would need to consider the conditions awaiting each proposed deportee in Afghanistan. The article describes Taliban restrictions on women and girls, including limits on work, public places, and education. UNAMA also reported arrests, threats, beatings, and verbal abuse. Those facts explain why possible returns raise serious protection questions, although the article does not assess individual cases.

The principle does not automatically decide every deportation described in the article. France says its targets are dangerous security risks, while rights organisations oppose any deportation to Afghanistan. A lawful decision would require examining both the public-safety concern and the person’s individual risk. The article gives no details about such assessments or their outcomes.

Key Facts:

📌 France is discussing direct deportations with Taliban authorities.

📌 The targeted Afghans are living in France illegally.

📌 France describes them as national security risks.

📌 Deportation means removing a person from France to Afghanistan.

📌 The proposed returns would be direct.

📌 Rights organisations oppose deportations to Afghanistan.

📌 France has not disclosed the number of possible deportations.