Investigation after Britain told Afghans they were fleeing to Britain to get Taliban stamps
.jpg?resize=780,470)
After that, the Ministry of Defense started an investigation Independent It revealed that Afghans They were told they could come safely in the UK only after Documents approved by the Taliban.
The government on Sunday was certified by the Afghan government department to 37 applicants for the Afghan Relocation Assistance Police (Arap) scheme, which aims to resettle people who have worked directly with the British military. He confirmed that he had told him he needed to provide documents.It has been run by the Taliban since the extremist group took power in August 2021.
The Defense Department initially denied the act, but now apologizes “unconditionally for this mistake”.The charity said people trying to flee the country were in danger, One member of parliament said the demands were like “asking them to sign their own death warrants.”
In an updated statement, a Defense Department spokesperson said: Independent A review will take place.
“Last month, we were informed that there was an error in our recent communication with a group of Arab applicants and that we were instructed to check the documents with local authorities.
“The 37 affected applicants have been notified of the error, responded to the correct instructions, and are now safe.
“The Department of Defense is currently conducting a review to identify further corrective actions needed to strengthen our policies and processes.”
In one case, an Afghan interpreter was told by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) to “verify” a child’s birth and marriage certificates. He eventually took the marriage certificate to the Taliban Justice Ministry to have it verified, but since then he has been living in hiding, unable to work and awaiting relocation. increase.
In another case, an applicant who was having trouble obtaining a copy of his child’s birth certificate said, “These documents are mandatory requirements and really must be provided. It must be stamped with the seal of the ministry and other necessary departmental stamps.”
Members of the British Army take part in the evacuation of people from Afghanistan’s Kabul airport in 2021
(PA media)
According to the latest government estimates, there are around 4,600 people eligible for protection in the UK under the Arab scheme, including dependents who have not yet immigrated to the UK.
Afghans have overtaken Albanians in recent months and are now the largest nationality of small boat migrants coming to the UK.While official statistics show that more than 11,200 have made the journey to the UK under Arap , that number has fallen recently, with only 743 resettled in the last quarter of 2022.
But this is far higher than the numbers brought to the UK under the Home Office’s general Afghan Civilian Resettlement Program (ACRS). The ACRS aims to help at-risk and vulnerable Afghans who upheld British values in Afghanistan. Only 22 Afghans have settled down from abroad.
Rishi Sunak, who addressed the issue in last week’s Prime Minister’s question, said the UK will “very seriously” commit to supporting the government and those who have served in Afghanistan through two schemes in place. said.
