Afghan interpreter’s regret over working with UK as he’s left behind in Kabul: ‘Biggest mistake of my life’
The Afghan interpreter, codenamed Steve-O by American forces, said he is disappointed with the UK and US for ‘leaving behind thousands of their allies’
By Taz Ali
August 31, 2021
An Afghan interpreter says working with British and American troops was the “biggest mistake of his life” after he was left behind in the country following the withdrawal of international forces.
The 36-year-old, who was code-named “Steve-O” by American soldiers, told i that he worked with the US army for 20 months from 2009 and with British troops for 13 months from 2010.
Like thousands of other desperate Afghans, he tried to enter the airport to be evacuated from the country but found it impossible to get through the large crowds.
Steve-O, whose real name has been withheld to protect his identity, said he is angry at the US and UK for leaving behind thousands of their allies.
When asked whether he regrets working with western forces, he replied: “Yes, I regret, that was the biggest mistake of my life.
“We (made) sacrifices for the US army and the British troops, our friends lost their lives for them. We put our lives in danger to work with them and now they left us behind.”
Steve-O pictured with a US army soldier (Photo: Submitted by ‘Steve-O’)
He said he has worked with western troops on more than 250 operations against the Haqqani network including al-Qaeda, adding: “We have been in very dangerous operations.
“In Helmand when I was with the British army, every day we had contact with Taliban, they were attacking us. But thanks to Allah I am still alive.
“But now, the situation has changed and I am very disappointed with the US and the British, I don’t know what I should do. Me and my friends, we are still looking for help.”
Steve-O said he had applied for the special immigrant visa programme (SIV), designed for Afghans who worked for American and Nato military operations, in 2014 but it was rejected as he was four months shy of the required two years of minimum service. More recently, the visa rules have changed and the minimum service requirement was reduced to one year
He said he has worked with western troops on more than 250 operations against the Haqqani network including al-Qaeda, adding: “We have been in very dangerous operations.
“In Helmand when I was with the British army, every day we had contact with Taliban, they were attacking us. But thanks to Allah I am still alive.
“But now, the situation has changed and I am very disappointed with the US and the British, I don’t know what I should do. Me and my friends, we are still looking for help.”
Steve-O said he had applied for the special immigrant visa programme (SIV), designed for Afghans who worked for American and Nato military operations, in 2014 but it was rejected as he was four months shy of the required two years of minimum service. More recently, the visa rules have changed and the minimum service requirement was reduced to one year
.
An US Air Force aircraft takes off from the airport in Kabul on Monday (Photo: Aamir Qureshi / AFP via Getty Images)
He also applied for the UK’s Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap) scheme, which offers current or former locally employed staff deemed to be under serious threat priority relocation to the UK.
After he received an email from the British embassy in Kabul that he was eligible for Arap on 14 August, the day before the city fell to the Taliban, he was advised to head to the airport to process his application.
However, Steve-O lives in a small village within Kabul province about 40km (25 miles) north of the capital city, and the journey is dangerous due to Taliban fighters patrolling every street.
He also applied for the UK’s Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap) scheme, which offers current or former locally employed staff deemed to be under serious threat priority relocation to the UK.
After he received an email from the British embassy in Kabul that he was eligible for Arap on 14 August, the day before the city fell to the Taliban, he was advised to head to the airport to process his application.
However, Steve-O lives in a small village within Kabul province about 40km (25 miles) north of the capital city, and the journey is dangerous due to Taliban fighters patrolling every street.
“I have gone two times, I tried to get to the airport but it was impossible, it was dangerous,” he said.
He alleged that Afghan forces manning the gates at the airport were also taking bribes from desperate people who were trying to get their relatives through, claiming they were taking as much as $500 (£360).
“Afghan special forces were at every gate, they were searching, they were corrupted, they took money from people entering relatives to the airport,” he said.
And it is not just the Taliban he fears. He said villagers near where he lives with his 11 family members, including his two small children, are mostly supporters of the insurgents.
He described them as “extremists” and said that he and his family are shunned due to his involvement with western forces. “They say ‘you supported the infidels,'” he added.
Steve-O worked with UK forces in Afghanistan in 2010 (Submitted by ‘Steve-O’)
His children have not been back to school after it shut due to the lack of teachers and books. The Taliban has also sent out letters which gave orders such as “do not shave your beard, do not make your haircut stylish” and “women should wear burqa”, Steve-O said.
After the suicide bombing at the Kabul airport on Thursday, which killed more than 180 people including 13 US Marines, Steve-O has been told by the embassy that he can no longer be relocated to the UK but that his Arap application can be processed in a third country.
Steve-O made a direct plea to Prime Minister Boris Johnson for interpreters to be given help getting to Pakistan where they can continue with their visa applications to the UK.
He said it was “very easy” to get to the Pakistani border discreetly without the Taliban finding him, adding: “There are many smuggling ways.”
“I want to pass my message to Boris Johnson and the UK parliament that we still need help, we are still looking for the UK government to help us,” he said.
His children have not been back to school after it shut due to the lack of teachers and books. The Taliban has also sent out letters which gave orders such as “do not shave your beard, do not make your haircut stylish” and “women should wear burqa”, Steve-O said.
After the suicide bombing at the Kabul airport on Thursday, which killed more than 180 people including 13 US Marines, Steve-O has been told by the embassy that he can no longer be relocated to the UK but that his Arap application can be processed in a third country.
Steve-O made a direct plea to Prime Minister Boris Johnson for interpreters to be given help getting to Pakistan where they can continue with their visa applications to the UK.
He said it was “very easy” to get to the Pakistani border discreetly without the Taliban finding him, adding: “There are many smuggling ways.”
“I want to pass my message to Boris Johnson and the UK parliament that we still need help, we are still looking for the UK government to help us,” he said.
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