Elite Afghan troops face return to Taliban after UK 'betrayal'
(www.bbc.co.uk)
from naturalgasbad@lemmy.ca to world@lemmy.world on 11 Dec 2023 07:34
https://lemmy.ca/post/11089049
from naturalgasbad@lemmy.ca to world@lemmy.world on 11 Dec 2023 07:34
https://lemmy.ca/post/11089049
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This is the best summary I could come up with:
Gen Sir Richard Barrons, who served the British Army in Afghanistan over 12 years, told BBC Newsnight that the failure of the UK to relocate these soldiers “is a disgrace, because it reflects that either we’re duplicitous as a nation or incompetent”.
In 2021, Prime Minister Boris Johnson had told Parliament that the service of these Afghan special forces had been “incredibly important”, adding the UK would do “whatever we can” to get “safe passage” for them.
The BBC has obtained a private letter sent in March 2022 to the Foreign Office, which called for urgent help to be given to a group of 32 former governors, prosecutors and officials who worked with the UK and US in Helmand Province during operations between 2006 and 2014.
“Ali”, one of the Afghan special forces soldiers facing expulsion from Pakistan, told the BBC he felt abandoned and betrayed by the UK.
The estimated figures suggesting there are about 200 commandos like Ali facing deportation by the end of the year have been gathered through a secret network of former members of Afghan security forces and given to the BBC.
One time, he wrapped his arms around a would-be suicide bomber, preventing him from detonating his explosive vest and likely saving dozens of lives, including women and children.
The original article contains 1,551 words, the summary contains 215 words. Saved 86%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!