{"id":11309,"date":"2021-06-02T10:07:08","date_gmt":"2021-06-02T08:07:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/openasia.org\/en\/?p=11309"},"modified":"2021-06-02T10:07:37","modified_gmt":"2021-06-02T08:07:37","slug":"the-guardian-britain-accelerates-relocation-of-afghan-interpreters-to-u-k","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/openasia.org\/en\/2021\/06\/the-guardian-britain-accelerates-relocation-of-afghan-interpreters-to-u-k\/","title":{"rendered":"The Guardian : Britain Accelerates Relocation of Afghan Interpreters to U.K."},"content":{"rendered":"
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Britain Accelerates Relocation of Afghan Interpreters to U.K.<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n

The New York Times<\/a><\/p>\n

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By\u00a0<\/span>Isabella Kwai<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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LONDON \u2014 Britain will expedite the relocation of Afghan staff and their families who worked for the British government in Afghanistan, largely as interpreters, the Ministry of Defense said on Monday, acknowledging they had an obligation to protect local employees from Taliban threats as Western troops withdraw from the country.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs we withdraw our armed forces, it is only right we accelerate the relocation of those who may be at risk of reprisals,\u201d said Ben Wallace, defense secretary of Britain, in a statement on Monday, adding that the country owed \u201ca debt of gratitude\u201d to local staff employed by British forces.<\/p>\n

The announcement comes as human rights advocates, translators and former service members have raised alarms about the rising threat that Afghan civilians who worked with United States and NATO-led forces face from the Taliban since the\u00a0alliance announced the withdrawal of all troops by Sept. 11<\/a>.<\/p>\n

American military officials have said that the United States and NATO allies could withdraw even earlier, by July, a fast-tracked ending to America\u2019s longest war<\/a>\u00a0on foreign soil, leaving Afghan local staff to fear retribution if they remain. Nearly 1,000 British troops are in Afghanistan,\u00a0according to the British Army website<\/a>,\u00a0<\/strong>though local media have put that number closer to 750 troops.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n