UK to accept Asylum Requests of hundreds of former Afghan special forces
British media reported on Monday that the UK government has decided to relocate hundreds of former Afghan commandos and their families who are eligible for resettlement. These individuals had previously been denied asylum by the former UK government.
The Sunday Times reported that around 500 members of the former Afghan special forces are eligible for resettlement in the UK, as they were on the British government’s payroll and effectively employed by them under British regulations.
According to the BBC, after the fall of the previous Afghan government, the asylum requests of about 2,000 former Afghan commandos, known as “Triple-S” units, were rejected for migration to the UK.
These units were formed, funded, and managed by the British government.
Luke Pollard, the parliamentary undersecretary at the British Ministry of Defence, told the House of Commons that a ministry review found that the UK government directly employed some of the Afghan commandos.
The previous Conservative government had told Parliament that the UK did not directly employ these forces. However, Pollard confirmed on Monday that this information was incorrect. He said around 2,000 previously rejected asylum requests from Afghan commandos are now under reconsideration.
He added that 25% of the previously rejected applications have now been approved, and efforts are underway to relocate these individuals and their families to the UK.
Pollard also emphasized that the previous government did not reject the Afghan commandos’ requests out of ill intent but rather due to a lack of timely access to proper information and records about these forces.
However, Pollard clarified that the review of applications does not guarantee that all members of the Triple-S units will be eligible for resettlement, as some applications are still under review.
A joint investigation by The Independent, Lighthouse Reports, and Sky News revealed that dozens of former Afghan commandos who closely collaborated with British forces were tortured, and some were killed after the fall of Kabul.
The decision to reconsider asylum requests marks a significant shift in the UK government’s approach to Afghan commandos. While many have been approved for resettlement, the process remains complex, with some applications still under review.
The situation underscores the dire circumstances faced by these former allies and the urgent need for international assistance.
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