Afghan interpreters pay a high price for working for Britain

Twenty-one Afghan interpreters working with British forces have been killed and more than 90 injured over the past five years, official figures show.

So far this year alone, three have died and 19 been wounded in the course of their duties, although their deaths are generally not announced by the Ministry of Defence.

Interpreters face the same risks of improvised explosive devices and insurgent ambushes as the troops they translate for when they go out on patrols in some of the deadliest parts of Helmand province.

Many have received death threats from the Taleban because of their work with the UK military and fear for the future once Nato forces pull out of Afghanistan.

But there are no plans to introduce a scheme to allow them to settle in Britain, along the lines of a now-closed programme for Iraqis who were employed by the UK government for a year or more. British forces in Afghanistan employed 650 local interpreters in mid-July, the MoD said in response to a Freedom of Information request.

The deadliest year for Afghan interpreters working with UK troops was 2009 (when seven were killed and 23 injured), followed by 2010 (four killed and 33 injured), 2007 (four killed and 14 injured), 2011 to date (three killed and 19 injured), 2008 (two killed and three injured) and 2006 (one killed and none injured).

The MoD was not able to provide figures for the number of interpreters killed in Iraq.

Afghan interpreters receive a good salary for their work with UK forces but pay a high price in terms of the danger they face.

Many wear scarves over their faces when they go out on the ground with British troops in an attempt to stop insurgent spies from identifying them.

One 29-year-old interpreter working in the Nahr-e-Saraj district of Helmand spoke of his fears after the Taleban threatened him with murder.

He said: “They told me: ‘If we find you we will cut your tongue off and then we will slit your throat’.

“It’s a very dangerous situation. If they find me they will kill me but I have a big family and many responsibilities,” he added.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “Locally-engaged Afghan staff working for our armed forces and civilian missions in Afghanistan make an invaluable contribution to the UK’s efforts to help support the spread of security, stability and development in their country.

“We take our responsibility for every single member of staff very seriously and have put in place a number of measures to reduce the risks they face.

“We follow an agreed cross-government policy framework for considering cases of intimidation or injury.

“This framework allows for each case to be considered on its merits so that we can decide a proportionate response. Only in the most exceptional cases would we consider resettlement outside Afghanistan.

“Britain is committed to keeping combat troops on the ground until 2015 before handing over to a large Afghan security force.

“We are working on governance and reconciliation and if all or most of the things we are doing work, then the great majority of people in Afghanistan will be able to live in a more peaceful environment.”

An MoD spokesman added: “The death of any individual working in the service of the country is a matter of deep regret and we are grateful to those individuals and their families for their sacrifice.

“In the event of the death of an interpreter, a payment is made to their next of kin in addition to any outstanding wages and annual leave payment, which is also paid.”