Thousands of Afghans secretly flown to new life on military bases in UK

More than 5,000 people have been taken to UK in past 10 months under Operation Lazurite, sources have told The National

Afghans are evacuated from Kabul airport before the Taliban takeover in August 2021. Getty Images

Thousands of Afghans, including hundreds of former military and intelligence operatives, have been secretly moved from Afghanistan to military bases in Britain in the past 10 months, The National can reveal.

It has been confirmed that more than 5,000 Afghans have entered the UK since October last year, many of them escaping Taliban intimidation and the threat of execution.

In Operation Lazurite, the Ministry of Defence's codename for the mission, former operatives who worked alongside British forces are now living in surplus military housing across the UK.

It was kept under the radar by the Conservative government, which was keen to appear tough on migration.

More than 1,000 people have been moved directly out of Afghanistan through Pakistan, sometimes on Taliban-issued passports.

Among those who have been evacuated are 156 Afghans, and their families, who worked for British intelligence services.

Many still remain and risk being tracked down and murdered by the Taliban.

“When they are confirmed as eligible we are bringing them in,” said a Whitehall source connected to the operation.

British and Afghan soldiers on operations in Sangin Valley, Helmand province, Afghanistan in 2007. Getty

Numbers out

“We’re getting numbers of Afghans out,” the official added. “And some have more harrowing stories than others to tell."

The source said security checks on personnel and their families were being rapidly carried out by the UK Home Office before people were “confirmed as eligible”.

However, other sources said some of those now being let in had served just a few days with British forces during their operations in Afghanistan, mainly in Helmand province.

There have now been more than 27,000 Afghans resettled in Britain after the fall of Kabul to the Taliban in 2021.

It is also understood that other western governments are helping to allow more Afghans to escape Taliban arrest and torture.

Hidden figures

The previous Conservative government did not want to publicise the 5,000 figure due to worries over how it might influence voters concerned about high migration figures.

Britain had an excess net migration figure of 685,000 in 2023 and the issue was widely debated in the recent general election.

“The main problem was over the whole issue of migration, so it was difficult, particularly with the previous administration’s sensitivities on the issue,” said the Whitehall official.

“But what we have got to make clear is that these Afghans aren’t illegal immigrants or asylum seekers, they are what we call ‘eligible persons’ here with indefinite leave to remain.”

British armed forces evacuate civilians from Kabul in August 2021. Getty

Afghan extraction

Operation Lazurite originally began in October after Pakistan began to deport hundreds of thousands of Afghans from refugee camps back to their homes. About 4,000 who fled to Pakistan, with some staying in hotels paid for by the UK, have been resettled in Britain under the scheme.

Some have been issued with Afghan passports by the Taliban, a source familiar with the programme has said.

The Afghan Resettlement and Assistance Policy (Arap) scheme now allows applications to be made online but there are concerns that the system is being exploited in some instances, the source said.

“The Arap scheme is open to corruption. There is a lot of inconsistency with the programme. Assessments have been poorly done, but the system they are using is the only one to get people out.”

St Athan barracks in Wales, where Afghans are being housed. Wikimedia Commons

Military homes

It is understood that the UK is working with the Pakistan authorities, who have close connections to Afghanistan, to help with the escape of entire families.

There are more than 2,000 complex Arap cases still to be processed, with many related to “Triples”, those who served in special forces alongside British units such as Afghan Commando Force 333.

At least 700 military homes have been set aside for the Afghans around the UK, in England, Scotland and Wales.

Families, who are arriving either on special RAF flights or civilian aircraft from Afghanistan, are immediately taken to processing centres for medical checks before being housed.

With the British Army at its lowest numbers since the Napoleonic era, there is empty accommodation available and the Afghans will be allowed to stay in them for at least three years.

The bases where the Afghans are being housed are: Garats Hay, Leicestershire; Larkhill, Wiltshire; St Athan, South Wales; Cameron Barracks Inverness; Chickerell Camp in Dorset, Crowborough Camp in West Sussex; and Beachley Barracks near Chepstow, south Wales.

The Ministry of Defence was approached for comment but did not give a statement.

The National has withheld some information from this report in order not to jeopardise individuals’ personal security.