UK police arrest Afghan special forces commando rescued from Kabul

Soldier had fought alongside Norwegian troops during Afghanistan conflict

A Taliban fighter stands guard at Kabul airport on September 11. The former Afghan commando was reportedly flown out from the capital in August. AFP

British police have arrested an Afghan special forces commando who was flown to the UK from Kabul.

The married father, in his 30s, was arrested by armed police in Manchester under the Immigration Act on behalf of the Home Office.

He had been staying at a hotel in the city with his family while in quarantine. Police raided his room last week.

According to The Times, he had served alongside Norwegian special forces during the Afghan conflict and had been allowed into the UK in August under the government's Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy scheme.

The scheme offers relocation or other assistance to current and former locally employed staff in Afghanistan.

Police are allowed to detain him for up to 96 hours without charge if he is suspected of a serious crime. If a person is suspected of terrorism they can be detained for 14 days.

It is believed the man has now been held for longer than 96 hours.

Military sources told The Times that he had not served with British special forces and that they had no knowledge of him committing any offences or having links with the Taliban.

A Home Office representative declined to comment on the case.

The UK has flown more than 15,000 people from Afghanistan.

Last month it was revealed that a man on the UK's banned flight list had been flown into Birmingham.