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An Afghan man who worked as an interpreter for the defence ministry during the Dutch mission in Uruzgan has been refused asylum in the Netherlands. Abdul Ghafoor Ahmadzai fled Afghanistan in 2010 after his brother was murdered when he was mistaken for Ahmadzai, the NRC reports. The interpreter went first to Norway where he was denied asylum. He then came to the Netherlands but lost his case on appeal. No reasons According to the immigration service: 'there are no legal or moral reasons why he should be allowed to stay'. Ahmadzai will be sent back to Norway where he will be deported back to Afghanistan. Around 120 locals worked for the Dutch as interpreters in Uruzgan between 2006 and 2010. Agreement Several European countries who were involved in the Afghan war have a collective agreement on asylum for their interpreters. However, the Dutch government did not want to take part, the NRC says. 'Asylum requests are judged on an individual basis, but wo...

Danielle Bennett, pictured with children in Kandahar, began the US visa process with Karim, an Afghan interpreter, just after they became engaged in 2011.   When Mary Ann Rollins was deployed to Afghanistan with the Utah National Guard, she was prepared for bullets, bombs, danger and even death – but not love. During the months spent on tiny bases in the forested and often deadly mountains of eastern Afghanistan, she became close friends with Zia, an Afghan interpreter who regularly put himself in harm's way to save others, who always had time for local children and a kind word for anyone who was down. Rollins' tour ended in 2009, but her close friendship with Zia continued over Skype and email – and grew into something more. Two years after leaving Afghanistan in uniform she was back as a civilian to get married. read the rest of the article here in the Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/29/afghan-interpreters-us-p...

Battle ... hero Baryalai Shams, left, and Churchill relative Alex Perkins Exclusive By DAVID WILLETTS Published: 12 hrs ago 25 WINSTON Churchill’s great-grandson has declared war on David Cameron’s immigration policy — to save an Afghan interpreter from the Taliban. Baryalai Shams, dubbed Barri by comrade Brits, risked his life for Our Boys but is barred from coming here and is in a German detention centre. Scots Guards Captain Alex Perkins served with him — and is calling on more famous Churchill family members to get the rules changed. Alex, 26, said extradition to Afghanistan would be a “death sentence” for Barri, adding: “These men risked their lives to serve alongside us.” His dad and brother were executed by the Taliban and his mum and sister drowned trying to escape. Barri fled but has been detained in Germany for two years. His final appeal for asylum on Tuesday is set to fail under current rules so he will be s...

By Caroline Wyatt Defence correspondent, BBC News The MoD said it values the contribution of local Afghans who support its military operations An Afghan man who was badly injured by a Taliban bomb while working as an interpreter for British forces in Afghanistan has been told he has not been granted asylum in Britain. The UK Border Agency (UKBA) told the 25-year-old that his asylum application was being rejected because he had given insufficient proof of his identity and work. It also said that his claims of death threats to himself and his family by the Taliban were not accepted. The man - whom the BBC has agreed not to name fully on its website in order to protect his family in Afghanistan - said he was bitterly disappointed by the decision. Mohammed has shown the BBC pieces of evidence - including letters from several of his British Army bosses and nine identity cards - w...

Father of three, 26, suffered horrific wounds in Taliban attack that killed Army captain Border Agency told him 14 months after application was submitted that he had no evidence of being either Afghan or under threat Change of heart after complaints from MPs and media coverage British Army translator Mohammad Rafi Hottak pictured showing his scars following the Taliban blast The Home Office made an extraordinary U-turn tonight and withdrew a letter telling an Afghan interpreter blown up by the Taliban while on patrol with British troops his asylum application was rejected. The rare about-turn came hours after publicity highlighting the farcical handling of the case of Mohammad Rafi Hottak by the controversial UK Border Agency, whose refusal of the claim was met with disbelief and anger by the military and MPs. Last night the Agency said it would look again at the case after it appeared that the most basic checks had not been made by officers investigating the...