Almost 900 special forces who risked their lives working alongside British troops in Afghanistan were given the green light for UK sanctuary.
The elite soldiers, known as the Triples, had been left to fend for themselves against the vengeful Taliban after Whitehall officials said they did not qualify for help.
Despite numerous acts of heroism fighting shoulder to shoulder with British forces, the Triples were initially told they had never worked directly for the UK Government.
But in a victory for their supporters – including British army officers and the Daily Mail’s Betrayal of the Brave campaign – ministers yesterday finally accepted that the Triples were paid by Britain, which owes them a debt of gratitude.
The decision announced in the Commons paves the way for the men and their families to be brought to safety.
One former Triple, rejected for relocation and who was arrested and tortured by the Taliban, said the decision was ‘welcome but overdue’.
The 40-year-old, who served on the frontlines beside UK Special Forces, said life for the Triples had been ‘hell’ as they tried to avoid capture and waited for Britain to ‘do the right thing’.
He said last night: ‘Finally, we have a chance of a new life with our families and we are grateful but for some it is too late. We pray that we can escape quickly, because the Taliban will know they must focus on finding us before we can leave Afghanistan.’
The Triples (Pictured: Members of the elite Afghan soldiers) will be granted asylum in the UK after risking their lives fighting the Taliban with British forces
Among those who may now be able to come to the UK is a Triple who helped carry the body of a dead British SF officer down a hill and has waited more than two years for a decision on his case.
Triples had been furious and frustrated that their applications for sanctuary had been blocked – one SF officer was said to have stopped more than 1,000 cases going forward – and there were claims some British officers sought to prevent Afghans from giving evidence at the inquiry into allegations of war crimes by UK soldiers they served beside.
Indeed, Triples have paid a dreadful price for their high-profile fight with the Taliban, with several, including senior officers, murdered in revenge.
Yesterday, after campaigners including the Daily Mail helped find proof the Triples were paid by Britain, ministers announced 884 decisions, affecting ex-soldiers from two elite units, have been overturned. They will now be eligible to stay in Britain under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (Arap), subject to visa checks.
The scheme was set up in April 2021 to help people who feared their lives were at risk because they had worked with UK armed forces before the Taliban takeover later that year. But, in 2024, the then-Tory administration conceded some Arap decisions were ‘not robust’.
It is understood that, as of Thursday, around 3,300 Triples applications were assessed in total as part of the review.
The decision is likely to lead to about 6,000 Afghans being given sanctuary – including the men’s families.
