During the Bundeswehr’s deployment in Afghanistan, they worked as translators, drivers or craftsmen. We are talking about Afghan local forces, without whose deployment the German forces in the Hindu Kush would probably have been lost. Since the Taliban took power in August 2021, these people have been in grave danger. And various support organizations are making massive efforts to bring the Afghan partners of the German soldiers, police officers and development workers to safe Europe.
Brandenburg is no exception: in 2022, the state took on around 630 Afghan local staff from the Bundeswehr and other German organizations. This emerges from a response from the Potsdam Ministry of the Interior to a small request from Left Party MP Andrea Johlige, which this newspaper has received in advance.
Specifically, a total of 237 Afghan Bundeswehr employees were assigned to the country in the second half of 2022. An earlier request from Johlige shows that a total of 402 local staff were assigned to the state in the first half of 2022. In addition, the local staff were able to bring a total of 71 family members into the country as part of family reunification.
The opposition MP Johlige, who is often critical of the state government’s refugee policy, welcomed the figures presented when asked. “It’s good that Brandenburg is still committed to taking in local Afghan workers,” said the politician from Havelland.
However, family reunification continues to be a concern. “Due to the catastrophic situation in Afghanistan, the German embassy in Kabul has temporarily suspended its work,” said Johlige. Therefore, the embassy appointments required for family reunification can only be completed outside the country. “Brandenburg should advocate other solutions at federal level, such as digital appointments, to make family reunification easier.”
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