European countries halt deportations amid Afghanistan fighting

France confirms pause on refugee returns as Taliban make gains, joining Germany, Netherlands, Finland, Sweden and Norway.

France has become the latest European country to announce that it has stopped efforts to deport  Afghan refugees as the Taliban continues to make sweeping gains in the war-torn country, amid the withdrawal of foreign troops. A French interior ministry spokeswoman confirmed on Thursday that Paris halted deportations in early July, owing to the deteriorating security situation. The confirmation came as the Taliban on Thursday took its 10th provincial capital, the city of Ghazni just 130km (80 miles) southwest of Kabul, in less than a week.