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| Afghanistan Agrees to Take Back Refugees Europe Rejected | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| KABUL, Afghanistan — Afghanistan and the European Union announced a deal on Wednesday to send home tens of thousands of Afghan refugees whose asylum applications were rejected in Europe. | KABUL, Afghanistan — Afghanistan and the European Union announced a deal on Wednesday to send home tens of thousands of Afghan refugees whose asylum applications were rejected in Europe. |
| The move came as the Taliban’s siege on parts of Kunduz continued for a third day, with civilians caught in a messy urban fight. | The move came as the Taliban’s siege on parts of Kunduz continued for a third day, with civilians caught in a messy urban fight. |
| The deal was made public before a gathering in Brussels of dozens of world leaders whose governments were expected to pledge more than $3 billion in annual development aid to Afghanistan over the next four years. | The deal was made public before a gathering in Brussels of dozens of world leaders whose governments were expected to pledge more than $3 billion in annual development aid to Afghanistan over the next four years. |
| “The E.U. and the government of Afghanistan intend to cooperate closely in order to organize the dignified, safe and orderly return of Afghan nationals to Afghanistan who do not fulfill the conditions to stay in the E.U.,” the 28-country bloc said in an announcement. | “The E.U. and the government of Afghanistan intend to cooperate closely in order to organize the dignified, safe and orderly return of Afghan nationals to Afghanistan who do not fulfill the conditions to stay in the E.U.,” the 28-country bloc said in an announcement. |
| Afghanistan’s commitment to accept tens of thousands of rejected asylum seekers back into a country where violence is a daily reality was seen as a condition for the aid, according to some news reports. | Afghanistan’s commitment to accept tens of thousands of rejected asylum seekers back into a country where violence is a daily reality was seen as a condition for the aid, according to some news reports. |
| Nearly 200,000 Afghans applied for asylum in Europe in 2015, the second-largest group, after Syrians. The number of Afghan applicants increased more than 350 percent from 2014, according to European Union figures, underlining the deteriorating security in the country and the lack of hope among Afghans. | Nearly 200,000 Afghans applied for asylum in Europe in 2015, the second-largest group, after Syrians. The number of Afghan applicants increased more than 350 percent from 2014, according to European Union figures, underlining the deteriorating security in the country and the lack of hope among Afghans. |
| Federica Mogherini, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, rejected reports of aid conditionality and said that the agreement had been signed days earlier as part of a separate process. | Federica Mogherini, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, rejected reports of aid conditionality and said that the agreement had been signed days earlier as part of a separate process. |
| “There is never, never a link between our development aid and whatever we do on migration,” Ms. Mogherini said before the start of the Brussels conference. | “There is never, never a link between our development aid and whatever we do on migration,” Ms. Mogherini said before the start of the Brussels conference. |
| The refugee deal was signed on Sunday, according to news reports. A day before the accord was announced publicly, the Afghan government rejected the idea that it had agreed to take back refugees. | The refugee deal was signed on Sunday, according to news reports. A day before the accord was announced publicly, the Afghan government rejected the idea that it had agreed to take back refugees. |
| Asked about reports of an agreement with the European Union, President Ashraf Ghani’s spokesman, Haroon Chakhansuri, had said in a text message from Brussels, “It is absolutely not true.” | Asked about reports of an agreement with the European Union, President Ashraf Ghani’s spokesman, Haroon Chakhansuri, had said in a text message from Brussels, “It is absolutely not true.” |
| The signed agreement, which will serve as a framework for cooperation for two years but can be extended, did not provide information on the number of Afghans who would be returned to their home country, but it suggests preparations for a major undertaking. | The signed agreement, which will serve as a framework for cooperation for two years but can be extended, did not provide information on the number of Afghans who would be returned to their home country, but it suggests preparations for a major undertaking. |
| “Both sides will explore the possibility to build a dedicated terminal for return in Kabul airport and express their willingness to carry out nonscheduled flights at the best convenient time,” the announcement said. | “Both sides will explore the possibility to build a dedicated terminal for return in Kabul airport and express their willingness to carry out nonscheduled flights at the best convenient time,” the announcement said. |
| The deal is bound to anger many in Kabul, the capital, particularly as the families of many senior government officials live abroad. Members of the coalition government also seemed to be divided over the terms, with the minister of refugees cautioning, in a statement on Wednesday, “host countries to stop forced repatriation of Afghan migrants.” | The deal is bound to anger many in Kabul, the capital, particularly as the families of many senior government officials live abroad. Members of the coalition government also seemed to be divided over the terms, with the minister of refugees cautioning, in a statement on Wednesday, “host countries to stop forced repatriation of Afghan migrants.” |
| Sayed Ali Kazemi, a lawmaker, said the government’s priority should be restoring security before agreeing to the return of those who braved dangerous waters and spent money to make it to Europe. | Sayed Ali Kazemi, a lawmaker, said the government’s priority should be restoring security before agreeing to the return of those who braved dangerous waters and spent money to make it to Europe. |
| “All those who went to Europe — most of them sold all their properties for half price and spent the money to get to Europe, and now when you bring them back, where should they live?” Mr. Kazemi said. “Some of the emigrants escaped from war, and the place they come from is now controlled by the Taliban. Where should these people go?” | “All those who went to Europe — most of them sold all their properties for half price and spent the money to get to Europe, and now when you bring them back, where should they live?” Mr. Kazemi said. “Some of the emigrants escaped from war, and the place they come from is now controlled by the Taliban. Where should these people go?” |
| In Kunduz, fighting continued on Wednesday, despite Afghan officials saying their forces were making progress in clearing Taliban fighters who took over parts of the city on Monday. As much of the city remained under lockdown, Taliban fighters fired on the provincial governor’s compound and the police headquarters from the roofs of homes nearby. | In Kunduz, fighting continued on Wednesday, despite Afghan officials saying their forces were making progress in clearing Taliban fighters who took over parts of the city on Monday. As much of the city remained under lockdown, Taliban fighters fired on the provincial governor’s compound and the police headquarters from the roofs of homes nearby. |
| “The Taliban came this morning, told us to leave our homes,” said Khalid Durani, a resident of the city who lives near the governor’s compound. “They climbed the roofs and started firing at the police headquarters and the governor’s compound — a heavy firefight is going on now.” | “The Taliban came this morning, told us to leave our homes,” said Khalid Durani, a resident of the city who lives near the governor’s compound. “They climbed the roofs and started firing at the police headquarters and the governor’s compound — a heavy firefight is going on now.” |
| The Taliban’s re-entry into Kunduz, about a year since they first overran the city, has raised questions about the ability of Afghan forces to hold major urban centers. It is also testing the commitment of their American-led NATO partners to prevent major blows to a shaky coalition administration in Kabul, which has been struggling in the face of territorial gains by the Taliban as well as internal political bickering. | The Taliban’s re-entry into Kunduz, about a year since they first overran the city, has raised questions about the ability of Afghan forces to hold major urban centers. It is also testing the commitment of their American-led NATO partners to prevent major blows to a shaky coalition administration in Kabul, which has been struggling in the face of territorial gains by the Taliban as well as internal political bickering. |
| Although small teams of American forces were involved in defending the governor’s compound, according to Afghan officials, how far the Americans can go is complicated by the aftermath of helping retake Kunduz last year. As part of that effort, American planes mistakenly bombed a Doctors Without Borders hospital, killing at least 42 people. | Although small teams of American forces were involved in defending the governor’s compound, according to Afghan officials, how far the Americans can go is complicated by the aftermath of helping retake Kunduz last year. As part of that effort, American planes mistakenly bombed a Doctors Without Borders hospital, killing at least 42 people. |