UK not delivering on pledge to help Afghans under Taliban threat, ex-Army boss claims

UK general brands Afghan resettlement programme an ‘appalling situation’

A Taliban fighter stands guard in front of a mosque at the first day of Eid al-Fitr in Kabul (AP)

Hundreds of Afghans under threat from the Taliban after working with the British are in hiding after receiving no help from the UK government, according to an ex-army boss.

Gen Sir John McColl, who served in Afghanistan, said ministers should “feel deeply ashamed” for “not delivering” on a pledge to assist Afghans who worked with Nato.

According to the Ministry of Defence, more than 9,000 Afghans and their dependants had been relocated so far.

The Home Office previously said up to 20,000 Afghan nationals would be given a safe passage to resettle in the UK.

General Sir John McColl was the Senior British Military Representative in Iraq in 2004 (Getty Images)

Speaking to BBC Two’s Newsnight, Gen McColl said he wanted to tell Boris Johnson: “We made a commitment to look after these people, you made a commitment, you’re not delivering on it, so put a system in place that does deliver on it. It’s an appalling situation”.

He added that there have been “inexcusable delays” in processing applications for resettlement programmes.

The now retired general became the UK’s former special envoy to Afghanistan in 2005, and was the Deputy Supreme Allied Commander in Europe for Nato from 2007 to 2011.

The schemes that have been criticised include the Afghan Relocations and Assistant Policy scheme (Arap) which was launched in April 2021.

It allows those who had worked for the UK government in Afghanistan after 2001 to apply for relocation.

However, according to the general, there have been delays for over nine months.

He called on the Defence Select Committee to investigate the Arap scheme so applications can be dealt with quickly.

The Ministry of Defence told the BBC it recognises “the challenging circumstances faced by Afghans applying to resettle in the UK through the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy scheme” and that it is processing applications as quickly as possible”.

“The scheme remains open and is not time limited, and we are determined to continue with this work,” it said.