Thousands of Afghan visa applications rejected by UK forces amid war crime inquiries

In Afghanistan, following the Taliban's takeover in August 2021, many Afghan nationals, particularly former commandos, faced severe threats due to their association with foreign military forces. The UK government had established a resettlement program allowing Afghans at risk to apply for visas to move to the UK. However, recent disclosures have revealed that a UK Special Forces officer rejected 1,585 applications referred to him in the summer of 2023, including those from individuals potentially connected to allegations of war crimes committed by British forces. This situation arose amidst a public inquiry into these allegations, leading to concerns about the motivations behind the rejections and whether the officer acted justly. Documents disclosed in court indicate that the Ministry of Defence had raised concerns regarding the rejections as early as October 2022. They revealed that the UK Special Forces' decisions were scrutinized during two investigations, yet findings reportedly indicated no evidence of automatic rejections, raising questions about the integrity of their review process. Some rejections were overturned later, but the delays led to dire consequences for many applicants, contributing to claims that several individuals were targeted and killed by the Taliban. The UK government initiated a review of more than 2,000 rejected applications after finding that the decisions to deny were not robust enough. The situation escalated further when it became apparent that some of those who had been denied resettlement faced grave harm. Testimonies from colleagues and lawyers illustrated the impending dangers they faced in Afghanistan as a result of their association with British forces. The cases prompted a judicial review, shedding light on the actions of the UK Special Forces and the legal implications surrounding their handling of resettlement applications. The implications of the inquiries extend not just to individual cases but raise broader questions about the commitment of the UK to protect those who risked their lives for foreign forces. The UK government has publicly stated that no veto existed over the applications, even as evidence surfaced suggesting that the Ministry of Defence had provided misleading information regarding the role of the UK Special Forces officer. Apologies were made in court for the inaccuracies in previous statements, acknowledging the gravity and implications of the situation. The fallout from these decisions has highlighted a significant and troubling intersection between military operations, human rights, and legal accountability in the context of the UK's responsibilities toward former Afghan allies.