The Austrian government has announced that it is seeking to deport Afghan asylum seekers following the signing of an agreement with Uzbekistan.
The Austrian newspaper Die Presse reported on Thursday, April 30, that the agreement between Austria and Uzbekistan is set to be signed during the upcoming visit of Austria’s foreign and interior ministers to Tashkent on May 7.
The purpose of signing this agreement has been described as improving cooperation in the process of transferring asylum seekers to Uzbekistan and subsequently deporting them to Afghanistan.
Officials of the country have said, “Austria intends to transfer Afghans who are to be deported to their home country via the northern neighboring state of Uzbekistan to their destination.”
Previously, the deportation of Afghan asylum seekers from European countries was carried out via Istanbul, Turkey.
The strict policies of European countries regarding the admission of Afghan asylum seekers have raised significant concerns, especially among those who applied for asylum after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the International Rescue Committee has expressed concern over the increasing deportation of Afghan migrants worldwide.
