UK Special Forces blocked more than 2,000 Afghan commandos from resettlement in Britain despite clear evidence of their service alongside British troops, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed. This is the first official acknowledgment of the widespread rejections, which have sparked significant controversy.
Despite their role in supporting the SAS and SBS in high-risk operations against the Taliban, every application referred for sponsorship appears to have been denied by UK Special Forces officers. The Ministry of Defence had previously insisted there was no blanket policy against approving these applications, but no evidence has surfaced that any were ever supported.
When asked if UK Special Forces had approved any applications at all, the Ministry of Defence declined to answer.
The Afghan soldiers in question were part of elite units known as the Triples, designated CF 333 and ATF 444. These forces were created, trained, and funded by UK Special Forces and played a key role in British-led missions throughout Afghanistan.After the Taliban seized control in 2021, members of the Triples were considered high-risk targets for reprisal killings. They were eligible to apply for UK resettlement under government programs meant to protect Afghan allies, but their applications were overwhelmingly rejected.
The mass rejections came at a time when a UK inquiry was investigating allegations that British Special Forces had committed war crimes during operations in which the Triples had been involved.The inquiry has the power to compel witnesses currently in the UK but has no authority over foreign nationals still in Afghanistan. If Triples members had been granted asylum, they could have been legally required to testify, potentially providing crucial evidence.
A BBC Panorama investigation previously revealed that UK Special Forces command had been given veto power over the resettlement applications of former Triples members. The revelation sparked outrage among former SAS soldiers and others who had served alongside the Afghan commandos.Initially, the Ministry of Defence denied that such a veto existed. However, former Defence Minister Andrew Murrison later admitted to Parliament that the government had misled MPs on the matter.
The extent of the rejections came to light earlier this month during legal proceedings brought by a former Triples member. Lawyers for the Ministry of Defence attempted to block the BBC from reporting details of the case, but they later withdrew their request following legal challenges.
Court documents revealed that even as the Ministry of Defence denied the veto, officials already knew that every rejection made by UK Special Forces was legally questionable and required independent review.
Mike Martin, a former British Army officer who served in Afghanistan and now sits on the Defence Select Committee, described the situation as deeply concerning."There is a clear appearance that UK Special Forces blocked these applications because the Afghan special forces were witnesses to alleged UK war crimes currently under investigation," Martin said.
"If the Ministry of Defence cannot provide a valid explanation, this issue must be examined as part of the inquiry," he added.
Former MP Johnny Mercer, who served with the SBS in Afghanistan, testified that some former Triples members had made disturbing allegations about British Special Forces operations."It is clear to me that there is a significant body of evidence within the Afghan special forces community now in the UK that should be included in this inquiry," Mercer stated.
In 2023, the Ministry of Defence announced a review of all 2,022 rejected applications. Each of these cases had already been assessed by government caseworkers as containing credible proof of service with the Triples.The review was initially projected to take 12 weeks, but over a year later, it remains incomplete. Some decisions have been overturned, allowing a small number of Triples members to enter the UK. However, the Ministry of Defence refuses to inform individuals whether their cases are being reconsidered unless they proactively reach out.
For many stranded in Afghanistan, contacting the Ministry of Defence is nearly impossible. Reports indicate that dozens of former Triples members have been beaten, tortured, or killed by the Taliban while waiting for decisions.
"Although some rejections have been reversed, it has come too late for many," said a former Triples officer. "People have been captured or murdered while waiting for decisions that should have been made long ago."
A former senior Triples officer, now in the UK, has launched a legal challenge on behalf of Afghan commandos still stranded. Dan Carey, a lawyer representing the case, criticized the Ministry of Defence for its lack of transparency.
"These individuals have a right to request a reassessment, but they haven’t even been informed of their rejection status," Carey said. "Some believe they are part of the Triples Review, but secret criteria mean their cases are not even being considered."
Court filings revealed that the Ministry of Defence dismissed some applications outright, particularly from those who served after 2014, without referring them for Special Forces sponsorship.The Ministry of Defence defended this approach by stating that, after 2014, Britain’s role in Afghanistan shifted from combat operations to training, advising, and assisting CF 333, which had been placed under the command of the Afghan Ministry of Interior.However, former UK Special Forces officers have rejected this claim.
"The idea that the Triples didn’t support UK Special Forces after 2014 is completely false," said a former officer."We had a squadron of CF 333 working with us. We were conducting NATO-targeted, UK-planned operations together," he stated.
With the Triples Review still incomplete, the Ministry of Defence continues to face mounting pressure to explain why UK Special Forces systematically rejected every application. For many Afghan commandos, the lack of transparency has come at a deadly cost.
"We fought alongside British Special Forces like brothers," said a former Triples officer. "Now we feel abandoned.""If Special Forces were responsible for these rejections, they should be required to explain why."