A delegation of senior officials from Germany`s Foreign Ministry recently visited Afghanistan and held talks with Taliban officials regarding the deportation of convicted Afghan migrants from Germany back to Afghanistan.

Ansar News Agency: Germany`s Interior Ministry confirmed to the German newspaper ARD that "technical discussions" were held with the Taliban.

Abdul Mateen Qani, the Taliban Interior Ministry spokesperson, told the outlet that German officials met with Mohammad Nabi Omari, the Taliban`s deputy interior minister, to discuss the return of Afghan nationals convicted of crimes.

He said the meeting took place "in a friendly and positive atmosphere," but provided no details about any specific agreements.

A spokesperson for Germany`s Interior Ministry said the discussions also addressed costly charter flights for deportations and explored alternative options, including the use of commercial flights to transfer deportees.

However, another German media outlet reported that the talks went beyond deportations, covering broader issues such as counter-narcotics cooperation.

Germany and the Breaking of the "Taboo" on Engagement with the Taliban

Although Germany claims to support human rights and women`s rights in Afghanistan, its recent diplomatic conduct has raised concerns among observers.

Over the past year, Berlin has become a precedent-setter among European nations by establishing direct contact with the Taliban under the pretext of deporting Afghan migrants - effectively breaking Europe`s taboo on engaging with the Taliban.

Following Germany`s lead, other European countries have begun to adopt similar approaches.

Earlier, Switzerland confirmed that a Taliban delegation from the group`s foreign ministry had visited the country to assess the situation of Afghan migrants slated for deportation.

The Swiss government said the Taliban team`s mission was to identify Afghan citizens for potential removal from Swiss territory.

Afghanistan`s diplomatic mission in Geneva, which is still run by diplomats from the former republic, also confirmed the visit, saying that four consular officials from the Taliban came to Switzerland to verify identities and facilitate the deportation process of Afghan asylum seekers.

Following Switzerland`s move, Austria also announced plans to deport convicted Afghan migrants back to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Vienna has expressed its willingness to negotiate with the Taliban, and analysts believe that other European countries may soon follow suit.

This shift, observers say, has "normalized" the Taliban`s image in Europe, encouraging European governments to overlook human rights violations and engage with the group more openly.

Growing Engagement and the Whitewashing of the Taliban

The increasing diplomatic engagement between European governments and the Taliban, particularly by Germany and Switzerland, has sparked serious concern among Afghan citizens.

Many Afghan human rights activists, especially women`s rights defenders, are warning European governments of their legal and moral obligations under international law, describing such engagement as a "whitewashing" and "legitimization" of a terrorist regime.

Despite years of vocal commitments to human rights, European states have been gradually and quietly increasing contact with the Taliban since the group`s takeover in 2021.

That engagement has now reached a point where Taliban representatives are being officially invited to Europe, hosted by European governments, and engaged in direct policy discussions.

In parallel, European delegations have started visiting Kabul, meeting Taliban officials and discussing sensitive bilateral issues.

Afghan citizens fear that this growing diplomatic normalization could soon lead to formal recognition of the Taliban regime.

They warn that if this trend continues, the Taliban may use coercion, hostage-taking, and political blackmail to pressure European nations into handing over Afghan embassies and accepting Taliban-appointed diplomats.

Over the past four years, the Taliban have learned to leverage strategic pressure points in their dealings with Europe, often coercing governments to comply with their demands and interests.

While "criminal deportations" are currently the justification for these contacts, observers fear that in the future, the Taliban might use other pretexts - such as threats of ISIS-K infiltration into Europe - to secure further concessions.

Such a scenario seems plausible, especially given recent United Nations warnings that ISIS-Khorasan is seeking to recruit inside Europe. In that case, analysts warn, it may not be long before European countries, abandoning their human rights rhetoric, begin handing over embassies and official representation to the Taliban.