If there is to be blame for a bureaucratic mistake (or worse), it is important to recognise that UK individuals who served alongside the 'Triples' in Afghanistan have not abandoned them, and have been discreetly campaigning on their behalf.

BAFF previously commented on the "extremely serious allegation" that former members of Afghan Special Forces 'Triples' units who served alongside UKSF have had their applications under the ARAP scheme turned down, supposedly because of UKSF concerns that their former comrades in the Triples might, if relocated, give inconvenient evidence to the Haddon-Cave Independent Inquiry on Afghanistan.

The "Triples" were the Afghan SF units CF 333 and ATF 444, said to have been founded, funded and trained by Britain to give operational support to UKSF.

Further media reports now claim to have found documentary evidence in an SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) that the UKSF directorate had complete veto power over Triples applications from at least the start of January 2023.

Today's media reports, by Lighthouse Reports in collaboration with Sky News and The Independent, and by BBC Panorama, also refer to internal MoD correspondence in which civil servants administering the ARAP relocation scheme described being unable ro challenge UKSF rejections, even where they believed that there was a strong case for resettlement.

As far as we are concerned, the allegations about improper motives for vetoing ARAP applications remain unproven at this time.

If there is to be blame for a bureaucratic mistake (or worse), it is important to recognise that UK individuals who served alongside the 'Triples' in Afghanistan have not abandoned them, and have been discreetly campaigning on their behalf.