Afghan refugees who fled Taliban and Ukraine war fear UK deportation to Rwanda

Hope is waning for Nader*, an expert Afghan combined martial arts fighter after the UK authorities introduced it will press on with its Rwanda plan regardless of ongoing court docket motion to cease the deportation flights.

He, and 46 refugees from Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere, have been amongst almost 2,600 individuals who crossed the English Channel in Might on inflatable boats.

A month earlier than the Afghan authorities collapsed, he says, there was rising worry and insecurity in Kabul which prompted him to safe a Ukrainian visa.

After the Taliban seized management of Kabul in August 2021, Nader, 30, from the Hazara group, fled to the port metropolis of Odesa in southern Ukraine along with his spouse the place they lived for 9 months. Underneath Taliban rule, the Hazaras face discrimination and persecution on account of their ethnic and non secular identification, with massacres in Bamyan and Mazar-i-sharif.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February compelled Nader to depart the port metropolis for Poland. From there he travelled to Germany and France earlier than arriving within the UK.

With a closely pregnant spouse, on account of give start, he says Rwanda shouldn’t be an possibility if the federal government determined to press forward with its plans to course of asylum seekers there. She stays in France, whereas he says he didn’t qualify for the Houses for Ukraine scheme, which is barely open to Ukrainian nationals.

“I escaped from two wars – Afghanistan and Ukraine – and don’t need extra uncertainty,” Nader informed The Impartial from Kent the place he’s in hiding. His household scattered throughout the UK – some who arrived greater than 20 years in the past after the UK and US navy involvement in Afghanistan – are his solely assist.

Practically 10,000 Afghans entered Poland from Ukraine after Russia invaded Ukraine, based on Nigara Mirdad, political counsellor on the Afghanistan embassy in Poland. Ms Mirdad stated 5000 Afghans arrived in Ukraine after 15 August, final 12 months.

Many who got here by way of unofficial routes informed The Impartial their journeys to England – on foot, bus, trains and the ocean – are riddled with uncertainty, cruelty, injustice, demise threats and disappointment.

When Kabul fell to the Taliban, life for Fawad, who labored for the Afghan particular forces for almost a decade and obtained navy coaching from the US and UK forces, misplaced all that means.

Following Nato’s retreat final August, Afghans who educated or labored with Nato forces, like Fawad, have been in peril of being killed.

However Fawad, 36, believed that he didn’t robotically qualify for the Afghan Relocations and Help Coverage (ARAP) scheme, launched by the UK Dwelling Workplace and Defence Ministry to relocate those that beforehand labored with Nato forces and whose lives have been in imminent hazard, so he didn’t apply.

Navigating the scheme has not confirmed straightforward, particularly for Afghans whose first language shouldn’t be English.

Given Fawad’s circumstances, he must apply underneath ARAP’s class 4 – that are processed on a case-by-case foundation.

“The UK was one of many largest donors to my nation’s navy establishments. It has extra accountability to handle us,” Fawad stated.

For the reason that ARAP scheme began, 9,500 individuals and their dependents have been relocated to the UK, a spokesperson from the UK defence ministry informed The Impartial.

Whereas it can’t touch upon particular person instances, a UK defence ministry spokesperson stated: “The Afghan relocation scheme stays open for functions and isn’t time-limited, as a result of we’re decided to verify those that apply and are eligible can come right here.”

Fawad fled Kabul, leaving his spouse, three daughters and a son behind and in hiding. “Each evening I take into consideration them and I cry,” he informed The Impartial. He stated his brother was badly overwhelmed up by the Taliban.

Fawad’s journey to the UK took him almost seven months and value him £7,564 in transport prices alone. Some days he slept tough. On his approach out from Kabul, he heard that 26 navy officers, together with a few of his colleagues making an attempt to flee, have been captured by the Taliban at checkpoints. Their whereabouts are nonetheless unknown.

His journey spanned a number of nations together with Pakistan, Iran and Turkey the place he paid smugglers £5,124 to get him to Italy.

Italian border police took him to a camp, the place he stayed for 2 weeks earlier than travelling to Calais the place he paid £1,708 to cross the English Channel on a ship, arriving within the UK in mid-February. Escaping the Taliban to move by means of the Channel was like dodging demise twice, he informed The Impartial.

Fawad selected the UK as a result of he has household assist however he’s anxious about what comes subsequent because the legality of the Rwanda coverage is debated.

Fawad known as on the federal government to welcome Afghans in the identical approach they’ve Ukrainians fleeing the warfare. “It’s unfair,” he says.

“I really feel frustration, my ideas are on my household in Afghanistan and my eyes on Rwanda,” he says, including that Rwanda makes him really feel suicidal.

“I misplaced every part. I by no means thought, after 10 years working for my nation, I must go away my birthplace on this approach.”

Rahimi, 22, was a contractor for Nato troops who sourced US navy gear and clothes from previously US-held Bagram air base and offered it in Kabul’s Bush market – named after the previous US president George W. Bush. Since August, the market has been rechristened ‘Mujahideen bazaar’.

Within the days earlier than Kabul fell to the Taliban, Rahimi received a visa to Iran and travelled to Mashhad, the place he stayed for a month. His journey shouldn’t be dissimilar to Fawad’s. After a number of failed makes an attempt to cross the English channel, he says, from Paris, he used a truck to journey to the UK and paid £430. In whole, he spent roughly £8000.

On 7 February 2022, Rahimi reached the UK and travelled to London to say asylum.

“Don’t put us between two hells – Rwanda and the Taliban,” he says, urging the UK authorities to assist Afghans, as they’ve the Ukrainian individuals.

“Higher to face prosecution by the Taliban than go to Rwanda,” he provides.

Downing Avenue has stated the federal government will do “no matter it takes” to make sure deportation flights to Rwanda go forward.

A spokesman for the prime minister stated the federal government would think about a ruling of the European Courtroom of Human Rights, which halted flights to Rwanda final month, however that “all choices are on the desk”.

A number of asylum seekers, the Public and Industrial Providers union (PCS) and charities Care4Calais, Detention Motion and Asylum Help have introduced authorized motion towards the Rwanda plan with a listening to going down this week.

After the most recent listening to on Tuesday, the federal government stated: “Rwanda is a protected and safe nation with a observe report of supporting asylum seekers.

“We stay dedicated to delivering this coverage to interrupt the enterprise mannequin of legal gangs and save lives.”

Abu Muslim Shirzad contributed to this report.

*Names have been modified to guard identities