Germany halts deportations to Afghanistan in light of coronavirus
Germany has suspended deportations to Afghanistan for the time being. The decision comes as a response to a request by Afghan authorities, the German interior ministry said.
Afghanistan
'Don't block asylum rights over coronavirus,' Grandi (UNHCR)
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi has urged countries not to "close avenues to asylum" as part of measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus. He is worried that some countries could completely block the right to seek asylum.
UN concerned over impact of coronavirus on migrants
The impact the coronavirus disease is having on migrants is of “huge concern”, according to a spokesperson from the UN migration agency, IOM. He also warned that border closures could lead to increased health risks.
Coronavirus likely puts a halt to deportations from Germany
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, on March 12 a German charter deportation flight landed in Kabul. It may have been the last such flight for now, given the virus’ spread and ensuing global aviation shutdown.
Afghanistan battles coronavirus as migrants return from Iran
Mass returns of Afghan migrants from Iran have led to concerns about increased transmission rates of the coronavirus disease in Afghanistan. On Wednesday, Iran reported 17,361 confirmed cases of the virus. At the same time, Afghans have continued to flee back to their home country in record numbers.
Karim's* story: 'The worst experience of my life'
Karim (name changed) is one of the thousands of migrants in Turkey who tried to reach Greece after President Erdogan announced he would no longer stop refugees and migrants headed to Europe. During Karim's journey to the border, he claims that he and his friends were scammed and threatened. Eventually, unable to cross into Greece, he decided to return to Istanbul. He shared his story with InfoMigrants.
Afghan migrants report from the Greece-Turkey border
Thousands of people are continuing to camp out along the land border between Greece and Turkey, where migrants on the Turkish side have clashed with Greek authorities as well as local residents. Some Afghan migrants have contacted InfoMigrants with accounts of their experiences. It has not been possible to verify these accounts.
'We have no other choice': Afghans stranded at Greece's gates
For days, migrants and refugees have been attempting to cross over from Turkey into Greece. There are many Afghans among them who have been waiting to start a new life in Europe for years.
An Afghan refugee dreams of boxing at the Tokyo Olympics
Meet Farid Walizadeh, an Afghan refugee living in Portugal. For much of his life, the 22-year-old has had to fight for survival. Now he's fighting to participate in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Film about shattered refugee dreams wows Berlinale crowds
The Berlinale Film Festival is one of the biggest events for the global film industry. This year, a movie by an Afghan-German director whose parents came to Germany as refugees is in the running for the top award.
Love in exile (3/3)
They come from all over the world and have recently arrived in Europe in search of a better life. On the road to exile, some have found love, others have just missed it. Some say they were able to overcome a daily reality of hunger, beatings and humiliations with the help of their loved one. Others discovered that their relationships exacerbated the pain of leaving home. InfoMigrants met some of them. This is the story of Nahid, a young Afghan woman who, while already on the route to exile, discovered that her husband was a very violent man. After living through daily beatings, even while pregnant, and running the risk of being killed if she returned to Afghanistan, Nahid finally broke free and started a new life. On her own.
After fleeing Afghanistan, Farid Walizadeh dreams of boxing at the Olympics
A young Afghan refugee living in Portugal is trying to achieve in 10 months what normally takes years of preparation -- to join an Olympic team. Elite boxer Farid Walizadeh faces his first international qualification challenge next month ahead of the Tokyo 2020 games.