London: New figures have revealed that the number of Afghans claiming asylum in the UK has doubled since the Taliban seized the country in August this year.
More than 4,000 Afghans are now waiting for the Home Office to make a decision on their asylum applications, with almost 2,500 waiting for over six months.
That figure is in addition to the 12,000 people who worked alongside British and NATO troops during the two-decade occupation who were evacuated from the war-torn capital Kabul as it fell to the Taliban.
Many of those evacuees are currently living in hotels provided by the British government as they await long-term accommodation promised to them. The government is said to be struggling to persuade local authorities to come forward voluntarily, with some at full capacity after housing asylum seekers.
But many were not extracted from Kabul before British and international forces left, and have been forced to take different, more dangerous routes to reach the UK, with London’s promised resettlement schemes either over-encumbered or not operational.
Four months since it was announced, the UK’s Afghanistan Citizens Resettlement Scheme is still not up and running.
Figures uncovered by the Refugee Council suggest that the failure to open safe and legal routes for Afghan refugees has led to thousands trying to make the journey through illegal routes.
Between July and September, the UK received 1,093 asylum applications from Afghan nationals — more than double the 435 who claimed asylum in the previous three months.
Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, told The Times: “It is surprising that four months since the fall of Kabul and the government committed to the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme, it isn’t up and running yet.
“Afghans have been left with a heart-breaking choice. Either they stay in a country where they fear for their lives or take the gut-wrenching decision to embark on a dangerous journey in an attempt to reach safety.
“Back in August the government worked hard to respond to this unprecedented situation, but that initial support has waned and we have seen more limited action to help the people we owe a huge debt to.”
Solomon added that it was “critical” that the government brought forward the scheme it had promised “and help provide the safe routes and support these people desperately need and deserve.” AFP
