First US deportation flight carrying Iranian, Afghan, Turkish and Georgian migrants lands in Bangui

A US-chartered aircraft carrying migrants deported from the United States touched down in Bangui on Friday evening, marking the Central African Republic’s entry into a growing network of African countries serving as destinations for third-country removals. The flight, the first of its kind to land in the landlocked nation, carried nationals of Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey and Georgia, according to local officials familiar with the operation.

The arrival places the Central African Republic alongside several other African states that have struck agreements with Washington to receive undocumented migrants who have no legal right to remain in the United States. The arrangement has drawn criticism from human rights organisations, which note that some of those being removed hold valid asylum claims or other legal protections in the US.

A controversial programme expands

Third-country deportation deals have become a central feature of the US government’s strategy to manage irregular migration, particularly for nationals whose home governments are unwilling or unable to accept large numbers of returnees. By routing deportees through partner nations, officials argue, the programme deters unauthorised entry while relieving pressure on US detention facilities.

Critics counter that the policy can strand vulnerable individuals in countries with which they have no connection, often lacking language skills, documentation or family ties. Legal advocates have also raised concerns that migrants with pending US asylum applications or Temporary Protected Status may be removed before their cases are fully reviewed.

Context in Bangui

The Central African Republic, still recovering from years of armed conflict and political instability, has limited capacity to absorb large numbers of new arrivals. Local authorities have not publicly detailed the terms under which the country agreed to participate, including whether it is receiving financial or logistical support in return for accepting deportees.

The use of African nations as transit or destination points for foreign deportees has expanded significantly in recent years, with several governments signing bilateral memoranda of understanding in exchange for development assistance, visa facilitation or other diplomatic considerations.

The Friday flight is expected to be followed by additional rotations, according to officials, though the pace and scale of future arrivals have not been disclosed. The migrants are scheduled to undergo processing in Bangui before any onward arrangements are made.

Source: FRANCE 24 — read the original report.