Caritas Europa joins NGOs, refugee-led organisations and members of the Afghan diaspora in Europe in the call to immediately stop all deportation to Afghanistan, amidst the deteriorating security situation in in the country.

As the US-led international military presence in Afghanistan will come to an end in September 2021, we are concerned that further escalation of violence and conflict will follow. The UN Office on Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimated that 500,000 people would be forcibly displaced due to conflicts in 2021.

In this security context, Caritas Europa recalls its recommendation not to return migrants to unsafe places where their lives would be at risk, and to ensure that  human rights and human dignity are at the centre in return policies.

Therefore, we join the statement that calls on all European countries to stop deportations to Afghanistan, ensure access to asylum for Afghans and focus on measures to prevent a further escalation of violence. The EU and its countries should also relocate their local staff to Europe and provide them protection status as their lives will be in danger following the withdrawal of international troops from the country.

This joint statement follows up the joint statement that we had co-signed in September 2020.