Tortured Afghan interpreter now living in Newport pleas for UK to help rescue family

An Afghan interpreter who was tortured by the Taliban whilst working for the British Armed Forces, has put out a plea to UK Government to save his family trapped in Afghanistan.

Mohamad, whose surname is not being disclosed for security reasons, is now living in Newport as a British citizen. He first arrived in the UK in 2015.

In 2014, Mohamad was captured by the Taliban and he says they beat him and threatened to kill him for working with the British.

They held him for six weeks before releasing him.

He says he now fears for the safety of his wife, mother and siblings after the group's takeover of the country in August.

His father was killed by the military organisation three years ago. He says he has not seen his family since 2019 and they are in hiding.

Mohamad worked with the American Special Forces in the Kandahar province in 2009, before joining the British forces as a patrol interpreter and cultural adviser in 2011.

"(The Taliban thought I) had a lot of information... I told them: 'I'm just an interpreter, I'm not an important guy.

"The Taliban cut my left ear and sent a video to my mum and dad.

"My mum was shocked, she was in the hospital for a couple of days because of the blood all over my face."

After managing to escape the country he eventually arrived in the UK and has been trying to help his wife come too.

In mid August her visa application was approved but she was no longer able to leave Afghanistan because of the Taliban takeover.

"I received an email from the evacuation team in Kabul that your wife should come to airport," he said.

"When my family arrived to airport there was a massive crowd of people outside the Baron Hotel.

"She waited six days outside the hotel, but unfortunately she could not make it to get inside the airport."

Mohamad has said his wife fell unconscious twice in the heat, with her feet bleeding from standing within the large crowd.

He is now appealing to the UK Government to help relocate her and other family members as soon as possible.

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: "During Operation Pitting we worked tirelessly to safely evacuate as many people out of Afghanistan as possible, airlifting more than 15,000 people from Kabul including thousands of Arap (Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy) applicants and their dependents.

"We will continue to do all we can to support those who have supported us, and our commitment to those who are eligible for relocation is not time-limited and will endure.

"The Arap scheme remains open to applications and we will continue to support those who are eligible."