Concerned about a possible effort at a cover-up of war crimes, the UK Special Forces (SAS) allegedly prevented Afghan forces who fought with them from finding sanctuary in the UK. Some troops had their transfer requests denied by the Special Forces despite solid proof of their service with the British military. In the most dangerous battles of the war, members of the Afghan Special Forces called the Triples fought alongside the SAS. Several had allegedly filed complaints after being witnesses to purported war crimes perpetrated by the elite regiment of the United Kingdom.
The Taliban have brutally murdered, tortured, or otherwise mistreated hundreds of people who were supposed to be relocated as part of the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (Arap) program. After acknowledging that the reasoning behind many denials was ‘not solid,’ Minister of the Armed Forces James Heappey announced a review of 2,000 applications. All Triples applications that fulfilled a minimum requirement were sent to Special Forces for approval or rejection, according to a leaked SOP document that dates back to at least 2023.
According to the records and emails released and analyzed by Panorama and Lighthouse Reports, there was a contentious policy in place where the Special Forces might reject these applications without conducting more investigations. This structure has come under fire for what some see as a possible conflict of interest. The veterans of the Afghan war might provide valuable testimony to this investigation.
The ramifications are severe since the Afghan commandos are now left to face the enemy they fought against. Despite their service, the commandos featured in the article are now hiding from the government, estranged from their families, and terrified to leave their homes. Their accounts detail what they did, but they also highlight the deep betrayal they felt since their British friends failed to deliver on the assurances of protection and safety they had received.
The Ministry of Defence has announced a review of the rejected applications in response to these claims. But the investigation’s structural flaws make us wonder how reliable the support system is for Afghan allies and how much of a moral commitment the UK has to its service members.
