‘Dishonourable’: report says Afghans left behind ‘at high risk of brutal reprisals’ due to links with Australia

Australia’s last-ditch evacuation mission – launched days after Kabul fell to the Taliban – lifted 4,168 people out of the Afghan capital over the course of nine days in August 2021. Photograph: Sgt Glen McCarthy/Australian Department of Defence

Former Afghan interpreters and other colleagues left behind by the Australian government after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan now face a high risk of brutal reprisals, a Senate inquiry has found.

A damning new consensus report said Australia had asked Afghan nationals to “stand in harm’s way with Australian personnel” but had “left them standing in harm’s way”.