'Abandoned heroes': Afghan troops face return to Taliban after UK 'betrayal'

Approximately 200 members of Afghan special forces, who received training and financial support from the UK, are on the brink of deportation to their Taliban-controlled home country, according to a report by the BBC. These soldiers, having previously fought against the Taliban, are currently situated in Pakistan, which has declared its intent to expel all Afghan refugees.

Gen Sir Richard Barrons, a veteran of the British Army in Afghanistan spanning 12 years, expressed his disappointment on BBC Newsnight, labeling the UK's failure to relocate these soldiers as a disgrace. 

He asserted that it reflects either duplicity or incompetence on the part of the nation, both of which are deemed unacceptable. 

"Neither are acceptable," he said. "It is a betrayal, and the cost of that betrayal will be people who served with us will die or spend their lives in prison."

The abandonment of the Afghan special forces marks a significant shift. Just two years ago, then-UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson assured Parliament that the contribution of these forces was "incredibly important," pledging to secure a "safe passage" for them. Regrettably, this promised safe passage never materialised.

Moreover, the UK government has rejected pleas from senior British diplomatic and military figures to grant asylum to key Afghan civilian leaders facing life-threatening situations. A private letter, dated March 2022 and obtained by the BBC, urgently requested assistance for a group of 32 former governors, prosecutors, and officials who collaborated with the UK and US in Helmand Province between 2006 and 2014.

Similar to the fate of the 200 special forces soldiers, these 32 officials applied for relocation to the UK through the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Programme (ARAP). One former district governor revealed that his application was rejected just two weeks ago, over 20 months after the initial submission.

Sir Richard, a signatory of the private letter, emphasized that the UK had made a special commitment to these individuals but failed to honor it with an efficient, effective, or compassionate system.

An Afghan special forces soldier, identified as "Ali," expressed feelings of abandonment and betrayal by the UK. 

"During operations we fought shoulder-to-shoulder with the British, as members of one family," he told the BBC.

Despite the risks taken and sacrifices made, Ali and others like him find themselves in a precarious situation.

"We never thought that heroes would be abandoned. We took all those risks. We were ready to help the international community, we respected freedom of speech and human life, then everything turned upside down. It is really disappointing," he said.

The plight extends to political figures like Mohammad Fahim, former governor of Helmand's Garmsir district, who faced grave dangers due to his frontline fight against the Taliban. 

Despite expectations of sanctuary based on years of partnership with British forces, Fahim was rejected by the ARAP scheme and now hides in a neighboring country with expired visa and dwindling options.

"We ran programmes shoulder-to-shoulder, with the shared aim of bringing security for the people who lived in Helmand, giving them a good life and making peace."

He said his brother and two cousins were murdered by the Taliban, and in 2018 he was beaten so badly he thought he would die.

When it became clear the Taliban were returning to power, Mohammed Fahim was afraid of further reprisals.

"I feel scared just remembering it. I didn't cry when my brother was killed, but I cried a lot that night," he says, of the moment he realised the Taliban would regain control.

"I feel betrayed," he said.

Gen Sir Richard Barrons concluded that he is personally ashamed, feeling a deep sense of obligation to these individuals that has not been fulfilled. He criticised the absurdity of claiming they don't qualify for assistance, leaving them at the mercy of the Taliban.

"I'm personally ashamed because I feel very deeply that we made an obligation to them and we have not fulfilled it.

"It's beyond absurd to say they don't qualify and that they should be left behind to a fate at the hands of the Taliban," he said.