Brave Afghan colleagues gave British troops invaluable eyes and ears on the ground over many years of war, saving countless lives – but they were betrayed when Kabul fell to the Taliban
British troops who spent years on the Afghan frontline know first-hand many of their Afghan colleagues and friends were invaluable.
Of course many of the Afghans allowed to come to the UK because of their UK associations had jobs outside translating or working with the military. There were civilian contractors throughout from Helmand Province to Kabul, employing hundreds of locals for a variety of jobs. Embassies, consular buildings, charities, foreign office schemes all had the opportunity to employ or have links to local Afghans. They felt safe and committed to the coalition project to dispense democracy, education, security, investing in a future vibrant and bustling economy.
In 2021 that all fell to dust as the Taliban stormed Kabul, surprising everyone even though they had been bragging this was what they planned to do for a decade.
In 2013 in Peshawar, Pakistan veteran Taliban commander Qari Nasrullah met me and gave me an interview and bragged about Taliban plans for Afghanistan. He said openly that the Taliban had shadow governments set up throughout Afghanistan and that soon they would retake the entire country.
It took them a little longer but they did just that and Afghanistan’s hopes for democracy fell to dust – and our Afghan friends were betrayed. They had gambled on UK promises we were there to stay and could not believe it when the last plane left Kabul in a hurry.
On many occasions whilst embedded with UK forces in Helmand Province I witnessed translators intercepting Taliban radio calls and warning of forthcoming ambushes. These brave souls gave UK troops eyes and ears on the ground and save many lives – and they deserved our loyalty.
Many made it to the UK but we may never know what sad ends some of them may have come to in mountain and desert villages throughout Afghanistan. I saw how hard the interpreters worked.
Often they were at opposite ends of Afghanistan to where their families were yet they took enormous risks. I saw them hunched over radios all night listening to local Taliban chatting and suddenly they would call over an officer.
After hours of listening they would learn of an arms cache, a roadside bomb being planted or plans to attack the base. The information – especially in real time during a patrol – was life-saving, especially if an ambush was planned.
Without them the troops could not talk to local farmers and pick up crucial information about Taliban movements. Always cheery and affable, these highly educated Afghans were alone, foreigners in their own land and surrounded by troops. And yet they always seemed to be smiling and unconcerned for their own safety. And some were killed or injured too. What has happened to some of them is tragic and clearly a betrayal.