On their way to Europe, ½m Afghan migrants

MORE than half a million Afghan migrants have crossed the border since the fall of Kabul last year and are heading for Europe and the Channel coast, intelligence experts have warned Ministers.

Priti Patel last week held a summit with her counterparts in the international Five Eyes intelligence alliance to discuss how to track the exodus.

The Five Eyes group – comprising the US, UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand – combines the resources of MI6, GCHQ, the CIA and the other nations’ intelligence agencies.

The 500,000 migrants displaced by political turmoil arising from the Taliban takeover and a famine in Afghanistan this winter is in addition to the 2.6million existing Afghan refugees around the world.

One area of concern is the potential ‘weaponisation’ of Afghan refugees by Belarus, which is encouraging migrants to cross the border into the EU via Poland and Lithuania.

‘The Afghan situation is going to cause serious problems over the coming months if we do not get a grip now,’ said a source.

‘Part of the problem is the Schengen open borders system which allows them to pass freely across the EU until they reach Calais. MI6 and GCHQ are at the forefront of international efforts to keep on top of it.’

Around 12,000 Afghan refugees are living in UK hotels, with permanent homes so far found for more than 4,000.