Afghans who worked for British armed forces given temporary homes in Welsh military camp

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Scores of Afghans who risked their lives to help British forces combating the Taliban will likely be given temporary homes at a military camp in Wales.

East Camp, a Ministry of Defence (MoD) housing property in St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan, will home 50 individuals by the top of the month, with extra becoming a member of them subsequent month.

The web site, which may take as much as 180 individuals, will likely be utilized by households who are eligible below the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap).

The coverage is geared toward supporting individuals and their households who worked for – or with – the UK authorities and British armed forces in Afghanistan, comparable to interpreters, and who are actually fleeing the Taliban regime.

Ministers have confronted criticism over their dealing with of purposes to the scheme, which has been beset by delays and what the federal government has admitted has been flawed decision-making.

Last month, The Independent revealed greater than 200 Afghans who utilized for sanctuary in the UK had been ready two years for a choice from British authorities.

Campaigners mentioned the Afghans, who utilized for assist primarily based on their claims that they helped British armed forces, had been left in limbo and lots of have been residing in worry for their lives.

Last summer time ministers missed their very own goal of clearing the backlog of round 8,000 purposes ready to be processed.

Interpreters who worked with the British military and Afghans who served alongside the UK particular forces have been amongst these nonetheless hoping to settle in Britain nearly three years after the Taliban takeover of their nation in August 2021.

An investigation by The Independent, Lighthouse Reports and Sky News revealed how troopers from two explicit models had been subjected to torture and homicide by the hands of the Taliban after being denied assist by the UK.

Evidence confirmed they have been paid, educated and worked “shoulder to shoulder” with British particular forces earlier than the autumn of Kabul.

The authorities later admitted that flawed decision-making led to some Afghan heroes being turned down for sanctuary in Britain.

The authorities pledged to reassess 2,000 purposes from these with credible hyperlinks to Afghan specialist models.

Last yr, almost 3,000 Afghans, a lot of whom worked for the British military, have been stranded in Islamabad, Pakistan, for months after the UK stopped chartering flights and demanded refugees discover their very own housing in Britain earlier than travelling.

At least one Afghan interpreter who served with the British military was deported again to the Taliban from Pakistan whereas ready for his utility to be processed. The UK authorities agreed to grant his relocation solely after he had been forcibly returned to Afghanistan. He later managed to return to Pakistan.

An MoD spokesperson mentioned: “We owe a debt of gratitude to those brave Afghans who risked their lives working alongside our forces in support of the UK mission.

“To ensure Arap-eligible families can begin a settled life in the UK as quickly as possible, the UK government is offering transitional and settled accommodation from the Defence Estate, including at East Camp St Athan.

“Eligible Afghans will be housed there temporarily for an approximate period of six weeks before moving to more settled accommodation.”

Eligible Afghan residents might come to the UK with a companion, dependent kids and different relations deemed eligible by the MoD and appropriate for relocation by the Home Office.

Those who arrive in the UK below the Arap scheme have indefinite depart to stay.

The MoD mentioned it was working with the Welsh authorities and the Vale of Glamorgan Council to make sure the mission was managed “with everybody in mind”, particularly native individuals.