THE UK government must take full responsibility for the dozens of British embassy workers still stranded in Afghanistan, the SNP has warned.
This follows reports that more than 100 men who worked at the British embassy in Afghanistan still remain in the country, with some now being tortured by the Taliban.
The issue arose following the then Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, failing to give contracted British embassy staff the same refugee status as their former colleagues, as well as failing to destroy sensitive material in the embassy which allowed many to be tracked down.
The SNP’s Shadow Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Alyn Smith MP, has condemned the UK’s efforts to create safe routes for Afghans – describing them as “increasingly lengthy and difficult to navigate”.
Commenting, SNP’s Shadow Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Alyn Smith MP, said: “The UK government’s withdrawal of Afghanistan has been an unmitigated disaster and it is innocent Afghans who are now paying the price.
“The stories of British embassy workers being tortured by the Taliban because the UK government failed to protect them are truly heartbreaking. Instead of making the process of finding safe routes simple, the UK government have made it increasingly lengthy and difficult to navigate. It is because of this, vulnerable former colleagues are suffering.
“It is high time the UK learns lessons and takes responsibility for its own failings. It is vital that the UK government develops a clear plan to provide safe and easy routes for the evacuation, relocation, and resettlement of those fleeing wars and persecution around the world as well as from Afghanistan.
“The UK government should work with the UN Security Council to call for an amnesty for all individuals who worked for the former Afghan government, the international forces, embassies and aid organisations since 2001. For many former colleagues it is sadly already too late; for those who remain alive, the UK has a duty to help them escape persecution and unjust treatment."
More than 150 men who worked at the British embassy in Afghanistan have yet to be relocated to the UK, it has been reported.
The BBC has reportedly seen and verified a list of the more than 150 men who worked at the embassy and still live in the country, with some claiming to have been beaten by the Taliban because of their previous occupations.
The broadcaster says the men had worked for the global security company GardaWorld.
