UK aid to Afghanistan entrenched corruption and injustice, report finds
GuardianNov 18, 2022
UK to Resettle Hundreds of Afghan Soldiers Following Review
Above: Afghan special forces participate in a training exercise during a graduation ceremony at the Kabul Military Training Center (KMTC) in Kabul, Afghanistan, on July 17, 2021. Image copyright: Haroon Sabawoon/Anadolu Agency/Contributor via Getty Images
The Facts
The UK government announced Monday it will allow hundreds of Afghan special forces members who fought alongside British troops to resettle in the UK, estimating they will overturn approximately 25% of 2K applications rejected under the Conservative Party.
The rejected applicants were mostly members of Afghan units set up, funded, and run by the UK, known as the Triples, seeking resettlement following the withdrawal of coalition forces and the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
With allegations of war crimes continuing to cast a shadow over the UK's military operation in Afghanistan, it's reasonable to suggest that UKSF may have been rejecting the relocation of key eyewitnesses as part of a historic cover-up job. Despite fighting and dying alongside UK forces, elite Afghan fighters were ignored and rejected by the British state for far too long — the world deserves to know why.
Pro-establishment narrative
This review, commissioned by the Conservatives, showed there was never bad intent in why applications were rejected. This brand new process was plagued with communication issues, as well as problems maintaining accurate records across various departments, and that's why some applications were overlooked.