Hundreds of elite Afghan soldiers who fought the Taliban allowed to stay in Britain after being DENIED asylum

Ministers have reversed 884 decisions that previously blocked Afghan special forces soldiers from seeking refuge in Britain, opening the door for elite fighters to resettle in the UK. The soldiers, referred to as "Triples," served directly alongside British military personnel during the conflict in Afghanistan, but were originally informed they did not meet the criteria for assistance. Following a sustained campaign by supporters, including serving British army officers, the government acknowledged that these men were indeed funded by Britain, and deserve recognition for their service. The announcement, made in the Commons, means the former soldiers from two elite Afghan units will now qualify for protection under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy, pending standard visa procedures. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say These Afghan fighters had demonstrated remarkable bravery in combat operations with UK Special Forces, yet Whitehall officials maintained they had never been employed directly by the British government. The Triples were effectively abandoned to face Taliban retribution after their applications for sanctuary were rejected, with one SF officer reportedly blocking more than 1,000 cases from progressing. Several Triples, including senior officers, have been killed by the Taliban in revenge attacks during the prolonged wait for Britain to honour its obligations. The Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy was established in April 2021 to protect those whose lives were endangered due to their work with UK armed forces before the Taliban seized power. By 2024, the previous Conservative government admitted that some Arap decisions had not been sufficiently rigorous. A 40-year-old former Triple who fought on the frontlines with UK Special Forces described the government's decision as "welcome but overdue". The man, whose relocation application had been refused, was subsequently detained and subjected to torture by Taliban forces. LATEST DEVELOPMENTS Keir Starmer 'to give Sadiq Khan a peerage' after previously pledging to abolish Lords entirely Angela Rayner 'to launch her own podcast in all-new tilt to oust Keir Starmer' Iran 'readies one million troops in preparation for massive US ground invasion' He characterised the experience of evading capture while awaiting Britain's response as "hell" for himself and his fellow soldiers. "Finally, we have a chance of a new life with our families and we are grateful but for some it is too late," he said. "We pray that we can escape quickly, because the Taliban will know they must focus on finding us before we can leave Afghanistan". Among those now potentially eligible is a soldier who carried a fallen British SF officer's body from a hillside and has awaited a verdict on his case for over two years. Approximately 3,300 applications from Triples were examined as part of the comprehensive review announced this week. The reversal is expected to bring roughly 6,000 Afghans to safety once family members are included in the resettlement figures. However, the danger facing these former soldiers remains acute, with the Taliban now likely to intensify efforts to locate them before they can depart Afghanistan. Campaigners who helped uncover evidence that the Triples had been paid by Britain played a crucial role in securing the policy change. There have also been allegations that certain British officers attempted to prevent Afghan soldiers from providing testimony to an inquiry examining war crimes accusations involving UK troops with whom they had served. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter

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