Afghanistan Times
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KABUL – In a major reversal, former Afghan special forces soldiers, known as the “Triples,” who fought alongside British troops, will now be allowed to resettle in the UK. This comes after initial asylum requests were wrongly denied following the UK’s withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
The Triples, members of the elite Commando Force 333 (CF333) and Afghan Territorial Force 444 (ATF444), were previously deemed ineligible for the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap) due to claims they hadn’t worked directly for the UK Government. However, a Ministry of Defence (MOD) review has found evidence of direct employment and payments from the UK, contradicting previous reports.
Defence Minister Luke Pollard announced in Parliament that the review has unblocked progress, with about 2,000 cases under reassessment. He expects around 25% of those rejected to now be approved, providing sanctuary for the Triples and their families. Many of these veterans had fled to Pakistan, facing threats upon return to Afghanistan.
Pollard acknowledged the delay in rectifying this issue as a “deep regret,” but assured that relocation efforts would now proceed swiftly.
