Afghan special forces personnel who supported British troops face heightened risks following the UK government's decision to end a rescue scheme designed to facilitate their escape from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, a parliamentary inquiry has found.

The controversy centers on the cessation of a government program that previously provided “third-party” assistance to at-risk Afghans, including interpreters and members of specialized units known as "Triples," enabling them to relocate to neighboring Pakistan before applying for resettlement in the UK. The program was discontinued in April, amid government claims of an “increased evidence of successful self-moves,” directing eligible individuals to travel independently out of Afghanistan.

However, many of these Afghans had been previously advised against attempting to leave without official support due to the dangerous security environment and the scarcity of legitimate visa application channels. The Commons Defence Committee’s 95-page report released on July 30 highlights that this shift left vulnerable allies “facing years of danger, delay and uncertainty,” attributing the outcomes to systemic failures within the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

The report also revisits a data breach less than a year after Kabul’s fall in August 2021, which revealed the names and identities of thousands of people who assisted British forces to the Taliban. Critics described the breach as “foreseeable” and symptomatic of deeper governance and accountability lapses, especially as a superinjunction was imposed to block media coverage about the seriousness of the leak. Legal efforts succeeded in overturning the injunction, a move that allowed public awareness that sensitive personal data might be compromised by Taliban access.

Among those most adversely affected are the Triples — former Afghan special forces operatives whose efforts alongside UK troops previously qualified them for relocation. Over 880 individuals in this group were initially refused evacuation but were subsequently granted routes to Britain after a government review reversed this decision. The committee noted that this late change came after many had exhausted their financial resources and found escape increasingly difficult.

The report criticizes the introduction of the “self-move” policy, indicating that it has further undermined the safety and prospects of these individuals. Tan Dhesi, chair of the Defence Committee, urged the government to clarify how it intends to safeguard eligible Afghans who lack safe, lawful, or affordable means to reach a third country from which to continue relocation procedures.

The findings raise broader concerns about the UK’s responsibility to its Afghan partners and the adequacy of its resettlement strategies in the aftermath of the Afghan withdrawal. The MoD has yet to provide a detailed public response to the committee's report.