Taliban’s killing units hunt Afghan interpreters ‘abandoned by Britain’

TWO Afghan translators who interrogated Taliban prisoners for British forces claim the UK has abandoned them to the terrorists’ ‘killing units’.

The men say they have met British officials many times to plead to be allowed relocate here so that they aren’t hunted down by the Taliban, but to no avail.

One of them, a 26-year-old father known to British forces as ‘Niz’, narrowly escaped an ambush near his home last month – the third attempt on his life – in which two villagers were shot dead in a car thought to be his. He worked for the Foreign Office for more than three years, negotiating with Taliban commanders on behalf of the UK and translating for prisoners. He said: ‘It is an obvious truth that I feel scared and have been abandoned to the mercy of Taliban by the UK Government.’

Taliban kidnappers have twice targeted Masood, the second translator, this year after warning that he will be tortured and ‘killed like a dog for betraying the Muslim people and working for the infidels’. The 29-year-old married father worked for UK forces for nine years and suffered horrific injuries after being shot on patrol with them. He also translated for Ross Kemp during the actor’s acclaimed TV series with UK troops in Afghanistan’s Helmand province. He said: ‘I have asked the British many times for relocation but they simply tell me to change where I live.’

The latest assassination attempts come as Rafi, an ex-translator, prepares to challenge Britain’s stance on Afghan interpreters at a judicial review in the London courts this week and demand they are treated the same as their Iraqi colleagues who were allowed to settle in the UK.

Last month the Daily Mail revealed how an interpreter known as ‘Chris’ to UK soldiers, who worked with the SAS and Royal Marines, said he had been shot in the leg and his two-year- old son injured in a Taliban hit because of his time on the frontlines with British forces.

Afghan authorities confirmed that the interpreters are on Taliban hitlists. The Government insists that up to 600 translators who worked with the armed forces in Afghanistan do not qualify for sanctuary here – only one has been allowed to come to Britain – although it has emerged that a Taliban fighter is to be allowed to stay here because of his human rights.

‘I’m infuriated by the UK Government,’ Chris said. ‘You know, rapists, paedophiles, murderers and even Taliban are allowed to live in the UK, but not decent Afghan interpreters who risked everything so they could support British armed forces.’

Ross Kemp, who witnessed the bravery of Afghan translators during numerous trips to the front lines, said their work was ‘invaluable’ to the British. He said there was a clear understanding that they would be ‘looked after’ for their help, adding that anyone who has saved British lives should be considered for sanctuary here.

UK officials deny the translators have been ‘abandoned’, saying that each case is closely examined. The Ministry of Defence said it cannot discuss individual cases.