Afghan interpreter who worked for British army begs Boris Johnson for help

Afghan interpreter who worked for British army begs Boris Johnson for help
August 19, 2021, 2:50 am

boris johnson

The BBC reported that an Afghan interpreter who worked for the British army has begged the UK government to evacuate him and his family from Afghanistan.

The BBC said, Ahmed - not his real name - said he received permission to come to the UK last week, but a day later the Taliban seized control of the capital, Kabul.

He said he was now in hiding and would "face death" if the Taliban found him.

According to the BBC, UK troops are continuing to evacuate British nationals and Afghans who are eligible to resettle in the UK.

Afghan interpreters and others who worked for the UK government can come to the UK as part of the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP).

The BBC added, Ahmed, who worked with British troops for three years, told the BBC he was initially rejected for the ARAP scheme in April.

He appealed against the decision and last week received an email saying he was eligible for relocation.

He woke the next morning to find Kabul was under the Taliban flag.

He said that he had been left stuck in a "horrible" situation, along his wife - a hospital doctor, and their six-year-old son.

Ahmad said: "Life has ended for us when Kabul collapsed, we are just left behind in a dark room."

According to the BBC, there are fears that Afghans who worked with Western authorities or groups could be at higher risk of reprisals from the Taliban. The group has denied this, but Ahmed said he did not believe them.

"Taliban are not trustable… if they find me, there will be no mercy," he said. "I have done a lot of patrols, missions, shoulder to shoulder with British armies, like a family, like a brother.

"It's a major threat for me if I go out, they know me. There will be no mercy and I will face death."

According to Ahmad, when he worked with UK soldiers, the Taliban used to target interpreters as they were the "eyes and ears" of the forces.

And when asked what he would say to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson about his family's situation, he said: "I just want him to provide a pathway to safety for me and my family. I beg him."

Source: BBC

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