An Afghan refugee in Germany, accused of fatally stabbing two individuals, remained in the country due to a bureaucratic blunder, according to German media. The suspect, a 28-year-old with reported psychiatric issues, allegedly killed a 41-year-old man and a 2-year-old child on January 22 in Aschaffenburg, Bavaria, before being apprehended.
Authorities revealed that his asylum request had been denied in June 2023, but administrative errors prevented his deportation.
Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann placed the blame squarely on the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), claiming the agency mishandled the case. Herrmann explained that Bavaria’s immigration office was notified of the deportation order just six days before the legal deadline, leaving insufficient time to carry it out. “It’s impossible to organize a deportation in six days, especially without preparation,” Herrmann remarked. When the deadline passed, the asylum process had to be reopened, dragging on unresolved until December 2024—two years after the suspect’s arrival.
The suspect reportedly terrorized residents at his refugee shelter, including attacking another individual with a knife. Despite volunteering to return to Afghanistan, the process stalled due to the Afghan consulate’s failure to provide necessary documentation. Complicating matters, Germany has struggled with deportations to Afghanistan due to strained relations with the Taliban regime, though one flight to Kabul was organized in 2024.
The case has intensified political tensions over Germany’s migration policies. Bavaria’s Christian Social Union (CSU) has sharply criticized the federal government’s handling of asylum cases, demanding reforms at BAMF and stricter migration rules. The CSU proposed measures like requiring employment for residence permit holders, expelling repeat offenders, and detaining those awaiting deportation indefinitely. “You may leave for your home country at any time, but you will no longer regain freedom within Germany,” said Alexander Dobrindt, the CSU’s regional chairman.
Meanwhile, opposition leader Friedrich Merz pledged sweeping changes if elected chancellor in the upcoming February elections. Merz vowed to tighten border controls, prohibit entry to those lacking proper documents, and prioritize deportations. “On my first day in office, the interior ministry will take full control of Germany’s borders and reject all illegal entries without exception,” Merz declared on January 23.
This high-profile case has further ignited debates about Germany’s immigration system, putting the government under pressure to address persistent flaws.
