Afghanistan: UK not delivering on Afghan pledge - ex-Army boss

Gen Sir John McColl has criticised the government's relocation scheme for Afghans

A UK general who served in Afghanistan says the government should "feel deeply ashamed" after Afghans who worked with Nato were left in the country.

Gen Sir John McColl said the UK was "not delivering" on a pledge to help Afghans under threat from the Taliban after working with the British.

The ex-Army boss said hundreds eligible to come to the UK were still in hiding.

The Ministry of Defence said more than 9,000 Afghans and their dependants had been relocated so far.

As part of another scheme, the Home Office previously said up to 20,000 Afghan nationals would be provided with a safe route to resettle in the UK.

Gen McColl said he wanted to tell Prime Minister Boris Johnson directly: "We made a commitment to look after these people, you made a commitment, you're not delivering on it, so put a system in place that does deliver on it. It's an appalling situation."

Hundreds of thousands fled Afghanistan last year after the Taliban swept to power, 20 years after being toppled in a US-led invasion.

The militant group captured the capital of Kabul on 15 August - prompting concerns over the safety of Afghan citizens who worked with or for Western governments, charities or companies.

Gen McColl told BBC Two's Newsnight he believed "hundreds of Afghans who were eligible to come to the UK on the government's resettlement schemes are in hiding from the Taliban" over fears they would be killed for working with the British.

The general, who is now retired, became the UK's former special envoy to Afghanistan in 2005, and was the Deputy Supreme Allied Commander in Europe for Nato - the Western military alliance - from 2007 to 2011.

Gen Sir John McColl became the UK's former Special Envoy to Afghanistan in 2005

He said the government's resettlement programmes for Afghan nationals were not fit for purpose, and that there had been "inexcusable delays" in processing applications.

These schemes include the Afghan Relocations and Assistant Policy scheme (Arap), a programme launched in April 2021 to allow those who had worked for the UK government in Afghanistan after 2001 to apply to be relocated.

Gen McColl said delays had been "going on over nine months" and that there was no system "adequate to deal with the number and complexity of the applications".

"There is absolutely no reason why the government don't have that in place," he said.

He called on the Defence Select Committee to investigate the Arap scheme "to understand what is wrong with it and to get it put right as soon as possible".

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In September last year, the government launched Operation Warm Welcome, a pledge to offer those relocated to the UK the "health, education, support into employment and accommodation they need to fully integrate into society".

At the time, the prime minister said: "We owe an immense debt to those who worked with the armed forces in Afghanistan and I am determined that we give them and their families the support they need to rebuild their lives here in the UK".

When asked whether it was reasonable that delays may be taking place due to the war in Ukraine, Gen McColl said it was no excuse.

"Clearly there are the resources available to make sure we process the applications of those seeking evacuation to the UK," he said.

"The government should feel deeply ashamed - as do I."

The Ministry of Defence said: "This government made a promise to help at-risk Afghans safely reach the UK and we are delivering on that promise. During Op Pitting we evacuated 15,000 people from Kabul and out of the 311 people who unfortunately could not get on a flight, 248 are now safely in the UK or a third country.

"Since the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme began, we have relocated over 9,000 applicants and their dependants to the UK. This scheme remains open and is not time limited, and we are progressing applications as quickly as possible."

The full interview with Gen Sir John McColl will be broadcast on Newsnight on BBC Two from 22:30 BST on Thursday.