
A British Special Forces officer personally blocked the applications of 1585 Afghans seeking to relocate to the UK, according to documents released during a judicial inquiry into war crimes by the UK Special Forces (UKSF). These Afghans may have witnessed war crimes committed by British troops between 2010 and 2013.
The Afghans, known as the Triples, were commandos and their associates who assisted UKSF operations in Afghanistan. After the international troop withdrawal in 2021, many sought refuge in the UK due to threats under Taliban rule. However, all their applications were systematically blocked by the UKSF officer.
The revelations have embarrassed the British government, with internal documents showing concerns over "automatic rejections." The BBC previously uncovered that UKSF troops executed unarmed civilians during raids, falsifying records to cover up the killings.
A judicial investigation into these war crimes has now also exposed the mass rejection of Afghan relocation requests. The officer responsible may be implicated in the crimes, as preventing witnesses from testifying could obstruct justice.