London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Sep 16, 2025

Military charity joins campaign to help keep Afghan veterans in UK

Military charity joins campaign to help keep Afghan veterans in UK

A British military charity has told the UK government it should “honor its commitment” to Afghan military personnel who served alongside British forces in Afghanistan.
The intervention by the Royal British Legion, which raises money for military veterans and their families in difficult circumstances, comes amid growing calls to help resettle Afghan servicemen and their families after it emerged a former Afghan Air Force pilot hailed as a “patriot” by his Western allies had been threatened with deportation from the UK to Rwanda.

The charity’s director general, Charles Byrne, told The Independent newspaper, which is running a campaign on behalf of former Afghan service personnel: “We encourage the government to promptly and fully assess those who are applying for support.

“It is vital that we remember the many Afghans who worked bravely alongside the British armed forces in Afghanistan.”

The RBL also assists those currently in the UK who were relocated under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy, and who came under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme.

The charity said it was important to “question the deportation of any Afghan who served alongside British forces in the war against the Taliban.”

The unnamed pilot, who flew more than 30 combat missions against the Taliban, traveled to the UK illegally via a small boat across the English Channel. He was threatened with deportation having previously spent time in other safe countries on the way to Britain, having found it “impossible” to reach the UK by legal means.

Byrne said: “We are proud to currently be supporting hundreds of Afghans who relocated to the UK under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy, and who have been designated by the Ministry of Defense as having a close UK defense connection, with everything from help getting employment to providing education and clothes for children, and we are committed to offering practical help as they resettle in their new lives in the UK.”

The pilot claims he and his comrades have been “forgotten” by the UK, telling The Independent: “We worked with them and we helped them like they were our brothers. We are not Taliban, we are not ISIS [Daesh], so why are they leaving us like this?”

Numerous senior figures across politics, the military and the media in the UK have also voiced their support for the pilot and others like him seeking safety. They include Sir Richard Dannatt, the former head of the British Army; Lord Robertson, former NATO chief; Gen. Sir Richard Barrons, former chief of joint operations; Air Marshal Edward Stringer; and Admiral Lord West, former head of the Royal Navy.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called the pilot’s case “a disgrace,” while Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised MPs he would address the case with the UK Home Office. Tobias Ellwood MP, chair of the House of Commons Defense Select Committee, also called for more to be done to help Afghan veteran refugees.

TV presenter Piers Morgan, whose brother served in Afghanistan, called on the government to “do the right thing and give this hero a new life here.”

Lord Dubs, who fled to the UK as a refugee from Europe before the Second World War, called the pilot’s case “absolutely shocking.”

Just 3,399 Afghans have been deemed eligible for relocation to the UK so far under the ARAP scheme, while the ACRS has resettled just 22 people since the initial evacuation of people from Afghanistan, according to government figures.

A government spokesperson said: “Whilst we don’t comment on individual cases, we remain committed to providing protection for vulnerable and at-risk people fleeing Afghanistan and so far have brought around 24,500 people impacted by the situation back to the UK.

“We continue to work with like-minded partners and countries neighboring Afghanistan on resettlement issues, and to support safe passage for eligible Afghans.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
China Finds Nvidia Violated Antitrust Laws in Mellanox Deal, Deepens Trade Tensions with US
US Air Force Begins Modifications on Qatar-Donated Jet Amid Plans to Use It as Air Force One
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
Elon Musk Retakes Lead as World’s Richest After Brief Ellison Surge
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
×