Hundreds of Afghan refugees have been “dumped” in UK military bases while ministers figure out where to house them in a move condemned as the government’s “latest betrayal” of asylum seekers.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is scrambling to evacuate 3,000 people with links to British Armed Forces who have been languishing in hotels in Pakistan – where some have waited years to be brought to safety – after Islamabad announced a crackdown on those without visas.
While some relocated families have been moved into armed forces homes, hundreds have been placed behind the constraints of 7ft-high barbed wire fences in military barracks in Loughborough, Gloucestershire, Blackpool and Staffordshire.
Some say they are unable to leave and have been given little information about how to set up their new lives in Britain, such as claiming benefits and getting a GP.
The revelation comes after The Independent revealed the scandal of abandoned Afghans who were promised safe haven in the UK and as the government is under fire for its treatment of migrants over its failed plan to deport them to Rwanda.
General Sir John McColl, former deputy supreme allied commander in Europe, warned the government had questions to answer on the help being given to these families, while experts said the move was the “latest betrayal from this government”.
One family on a base in Garats Hay said they had to rely on help from a charity volunteer to call 111 to get access to antibiotics when they struggled to get medical help for a sick family member.
Rishi Sunak was forced to start relocating Afghans from Pakistan to the UK after the delay was challenged in the UK courts
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The refugee was brought to the UK with his family, under the MoD’s Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy, because his father worked alongside British forces in Camp Bastion in Helmand province as part of his service in the Afghan National Army.
He said of the military base where they are living: “There is no way to leave. No one can come in and no one can leave the base. We’ve not been told anything about how long we’re going to be here, they just put us here for an unknown period of time. There’s nothing to do here. We are just staring at the walls right now.”
Operation Lazurite – named after the blue mineral found in the precious stone Lapis Lazuli which has been mined in the country for more than 6,500 years – has seen charter flights bringing hundreds of Afghans to the UK since the end of October.
The rushed evacuations came after Rishi Sunak’s government was forced to relocate Afghan refugees after it was taken to court in the UK over transfer delays.
The operation is being run by the army’s regional command based in Aldershot with armed forces minister Johnny Mercer overseeing the relocation of refugees into accommodation. Some families have been moved into homes owned by the UK armed forces but Mr Sunak has not ruled out the use of hotels.
MoD Garats Hay, a base in Loughborough usually used for military training and conferences, is understood to be an initial holding facility, with families waiting weeks before they are moved to another base or more permanent armed forces accommodation.
Some Afghans are being temporarily housed at Weeton barracks
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While at Garats Hay, the refugees are unable to leave and cannot get council support to set up universal credit claims and register with the NHS until they are moved on.
Other Afghans have been moved to Swynnerton Camp, a 560-acre base in Staffordshire used for military training. Some have been placed at Weeton Barracks near Blackpool in housing usually reserved for soldiers and their families, while Beachley barracks in Gloucestershire is also being used. Afghans have been told they will be at the barracks for six weeks before they are found more permanent homes.
General Sir John McColl, who served in Afghanistan, said while the MoD had made good progress in clearing the backlog of people stranded in Pakistan there were still questions over where they would live longer term.
“A lot of them are being moved into service family accommodation. The question then to be asked is what happens when that is full? That question hasn’t been answered yet. I also would like to know more about the Home Office’s role in funding councils to help them receive these families. What next is the question,” he said.
Steve Smith, CEO of refugee charity Care4Calais and a former army colonel, said the government had “let down Afghans who served alongside UK forces in Afghanistan”.
He added: “To dump the small number of Afghan veterans they have brought over from Pakistan in military barracks, segregated from their new community, is the latest betrayal from this government. These Afghan veterans and their families should be living in communities, starting their new life here in the UK with hope not held in military barracks.”
A government spokesperson said: “The UK has made an ambitious and generous commitment to help at-risk people in Afghanistan and, so far, we have brought around 24,600 people to safety, including thousands of people eligible for our Afghan schemes.
“We continue to honour our commitments to bring eligible Afghans to the UK, with new arrivals going directly into settled accommodation where possible.”
A Ministry of Defence Spokesperson said: “We are committed to providing the best possible care for eligible Afghan families upon arrival to the UK, which includes access to a 24-hour support network, deployed Medical Liaison Officers and interpreters. We are working closely across government to support their resettlement.”