LONDON: More than half of the 311 Afghans released by British forces during their withdrawal from Afghanistan, but who were promised asylum in Britain, are still stranded in the war-torn country – some claim to be true numbers It could be in the thousands.
Many of the interpreters and other Afghans who worked with Britain during their missions in the country, as well as their families who were promised safe haven under Britain’s Afghan resettlement and aid policy, now say they are after the terrorist group. They live in fear of retaliation from the Taliban. Captured Kabul in August.
A recent Human Rights Watch report claimed Taliban forces were hunting and killing hundreds of ex-Afghan government and military figures, despite ministers accusing them of “trying to move on” from the crisis. has been applied.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson acknowledged in September that Afghans had been left behind by Operation Pitting, the UK’s mission to evacuate people from the capital Kabul in August, saying the government would do “absolutely everything” that would ensure Safe way to “get those people” what they deserve. ,
Earlier this month, the Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa, James Cleverly MP, confirmed that 167 Afghans eligible for the ARAP scheme are still in Afghanistan, while others eligible for asylum in the UK are still in designated third countries. are in.
“Helping everyone who wants to leave Afghanistan and who are eligible to come to the UK remains a priority. The government has made it clear to the Taliban that there is a need to ensure the safe passage of those entitled to move to another country,” Chaturve said, adding that the ARAP plan remains open.
On Thursday, the UK Home Office revealed that the Afghan Civil Rehabilitation Scheme, intended to aid 20,000 people fleeing Afghanistan since August, will not be operational until January 2022.
Several former interpreters told The Independent that they were living in hiding with their families. One said his ARAP application was approved, but he and his family were instructed to move to Pakistan, which they could not do without a passport.
“We are staying with relatives in Helmand,” he said. “High risk. Very dangerous here. We are threatened every day by the Taliban. They are looking for us. We are hiding. We are not going out. This is a bad situation.”
“I don’t know why the ARAP team is acting so slowly. Why aren’t they paying attention to us? We deserve, we’re waiting. Life has no good chance. Clearly our lives.” is in danger. We will die, we will be killed.”
Former UK defense minister, Johnny Mercer MP, told the newspaper he believed the numbers could be much higher than reported.
“We have left thousands behind, not 167,” he said. “They (167) are the only ones who had a response to the ARAP program. Those figures are just numbers that were called forward but did not arrive at the airport.
“The point is, the ARAP program was so ineffective that the thousands of people we should have saved didn’t even get a response from them, and as a result we have left behind the vast majority of people we’ve left behind.
“Many are now fearing for their lives. All ministers know this, but they are determined to move on from our promises to these people.”
Earlier this month, Raphael Marshall, a former UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office employee, revealed that during Operation Pitting, communications failures and system vulnerabilities led to thousands of requests for assistance from within Afghanistan by the FCDO. was ignored by most of the employees. , along with some who were later killed by the Taliban seeking help.
Dr Sara de Jong, co-founder of the Sulha Alliance, told The Independent that she had been in contact with hundreds of Afghans eligible for relocation.
“Many of the people we have been in contact with are in hiding and have left their homes. They have little means to sustain themselves. If they do not already have a passport, it is difficult to get it at this point of time,” she said.
He told of the case of an Afghan who worked as a guard at the UK embassy in Afghanistan who was left behind, telling the Sulha Alliance: “The Taliban may come to the area where I live. Moment. They ask the neighbors, and I’m too scared to turn off the lights. I am in a very bad security situation. I can’t leave the house… please help me.”
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