Ministers are facing a furious backlash from cross-party MPs over their continued silence on the fate of hundreds of elite Afghan soldiers who fought alongside British troops, now abandoned to Taliban death squads.
The Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps, is under intense pressure to explain why the government has failed to act on a leaked report confirming that members of the Afghan Special Forces, trained and funded by the UK, are being systematically denied safe passage to Britain.
A Pattern of Betrayal
Despite clear eligibility for the UK's Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), these commandos have had their applications rejected or remain stuck in a bureaucratic limbo. This inaction persists even after a damning investigation by the BBC and other media outlets provided undeniable evidence of their service and their current peril.
Labour’s Shadow Defence Secretary, John Healey, branded the government's failure to respond to the report a "grave dereliction of duty." He stated, "Ministers have been questioned repeatedly in the Commons but still have not published their findings. These Afghan soldiers served alongside and protected our British armed forces. We owe them a debt of honour."
Lives Left in Limbo
The leaked document, from the UK-funded Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) team, reportedly confirms that several units, including the Triples and the Commando Force, were indeed trained and financed by Britain. This directly contradicts the basis on which many of their asylum applications were initially refused.
Chi Onwurah, Labour MP for Newcastle upon Tyne Central, highlighted the case of a constituent whose brother, a Triple soldier, is in hiding. "The government's silence is shameful," she said. "We provided the evidence. They provided the run-around. This is a matter of life and death."
Cross-Party Outrage and Demands for Action
The condemnation is not limited to the opposition. Senior Conservative backbenchers have also joined the chorus of criticism, demanding the Ministry of Defence expedite the review process and immediately offer protection to those at risk.
With the Taliban actively hunting down former special forces members, MPs warn that every day of delay has potentially fatal consequences. They are demanding an urgent statement in the House of Commons and a clear, transparent plan to rectify what they describe as a catastrophic moral and strategic failure.
