Don't leave Afghan military heroes at 'mercy of Taliban

Ministers have been warned not to repeat the same mistakes over Afghan soldiers, with fears their pledge to finally relocate special forces soldiers who fought with the UK could still leave 1,500 at the mercy of the Taliban.

- HOLLY BANCROFT

Campaigners and former military top brass hailed armed forces minister Luke Pollard’s announcement this week that acknowledged the troops had worked for Britain. He pledged to bring an estimated 500 to safety following a Ministry of Defence review.

But campaigners warned the decision to only grant sanctuary to 25 per cent of those affected was “absolute nonsense”.

The announcement comes after a long-running campaign by The Independent and investigative newsroom Lighthouse Reports to acknowledge the service of the soldiers in two specialist units, CF333 and ATF444, known as the Triples after we revealed dozens of cases of former commandos being tortured, disappeared or killed by the Taliban.

Despite the fact the units were set up, paid and trained by the British, soldiers from the two units had been denied relocation through the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap), which promises to relocate Afghans who have been directly employed by or who worked closely alongside British forces and who are at risk from the Taliban.

Mr Pollard admitted that the review had found that some of these soldiers were directly employed by the UK government, despite previous denials. The minister told MPs that some 500 applications from members of Afghan specialist units – out of 2,000 that are being reviewed – will be deemed eligible for relocation.