Afghans who 'risked their lives' to support UK armed forces to be housed at St Athan military camp

• Colonel Sion Walker is the Deputy Commander of the British Army in Wales.

A military camp in Wales will be used to house people fleeing the Taliban in Afghanistan who risked their lives to support the UK.

East Camp, a Ministry of Defence (MoD) site at St Athan, in the Vale of Glamorgan, will begin accommodating Afghan families who are eligible under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) Scheme.

The site will house 50 people by the end of the month, with more due to join in mid-April. The families are expected to stay at the site for several weeks while their settled accommodation on defence estate is prepared.

ARAP is the MoD’s relocation and resettlement scheme for Afghans and their families who worked for, or with, the UK Government and British Armed Forces in Afghanistan in exposed or meaningful roles, such as acting as interpreters or providing intelligence.

The site will be used by families and can host a maximum of 180 people. Those arriving have a personal connection to the Armed Forces and have indefinite leave to remain.

Afghan families will have access to healthcare when they arrive and the MoD says that work is underway to ensure children have access to education.

An MOD Spokesperson said: "We owe a debt of gratitude to those brave Afghans who risked their lives working alongside our forces in support of the UK mission.

"To ensure ARAP eligible families can begin a settled life in the UK as quickly as possible, the UK Government is offering transitional and settled accommodation from the Defence Estate, including at East Camp St Athan.

"Eligible Afghans will be housed there temporarily for an approximate period of six weeks before moving to more settled accommodation."

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