Kabul: Thousands of protesters in several German cities demonstrated against the deportation of Afghans failing to secure asylum and asked authorities to stop, stating that Afghanistan was an unsafe country.
According to the German Police, around 2,000 protesters came out on the streets in Dusseldorf city and nearly 1,500 others in northern Hamburg city, reports the Tolo News.
In Berlin, while police said that around 200 people marched on the streets, the Berlin Refugee Council said there were up to 2,000.
Earlier on Thursday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel had announced the government’s decision to speed up the deportation of rejected asylum seekers.
According to reports, at least 200 Afghan refugees have returned to the country from Europe based on an agreement signed between Afghanistan and Germany last year.
Afghan Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation's spokesman Islamuddin Jurat said, "We are following the issue very closely and we assure you that the rights of no Afghan will be violated."
According to figures by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), at least 6,800 refugees have so far returned to the country voluntarily and the number is expected to increase this year.
