UK Government To Allow Afghan Special Forces Soldiers To Resettle After Previous Rejections.
The British government has announced that some Afghan special forces soldiers, who fought alongside British troops, will be allowed to resettle in the UK after their initial applications were wrongfully rejected. These soldiers, known as the “Triples,” were part of elite units created, funded, and run by the UK.
In a statement to the House of Commons, Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard revealed that a recent review uncovered errors in the decision-making process that had led to the denial of resettlement for approximately 2,000 Afghans following the Taliban’s takeover in 2021. The review found that some applications had been wrongly turned down due to poor record-keeping, although Pollard assured that there was no evidence of malicious intent.
Pollard confirmed that, so far, the government has overturned 25% of the initial rejections. New evidence showed that some of the Afghan soldiers had been directly paid by the UK government, making them eligible for resettlement. This crucial information had been overlooked in the original applications.
The minister criticised the previous government for what he called a “critical failure” to properly access and share necessary digital records, which hampered the resettlement process. He highlighted the urgency of the situation, noting that many of the Afghan soldiers remain at risk under Taliban rule, with some already reported to have been targeted and killed.
The government is continuing to review the remaining cases to ensure that those eligible for resettlement receive the support and protection they deserve.
