Taliban-threatened former Afghan interpreter granted UK leave

A former Afghan interpreter who was threatened by the Taliban and spent a year in hiding with his young family has made it to the UK.

After a desperate escape across the Afghan border, Kouchai is now in the process of resettling his family after being granted leave to come to the country by the British Government because of his work as an interpreter with UK forces. 

From 2009 to 2011 Kouchai worked on the frontline in Helmand as the eyes and ears on the ground for the British soldiers.

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After the Taliban took control last year, the interpreters were regarded as the enemy, increasing fears for Kouchai and other fellow interpreters' safety.

He said: "When our last government handed over to the Taliban, the insurgents are searching the people who was, first of all, interpreters, that was the first people."

The attitude was "...if they work with the British forces, kill them, everybody body hiding, but it's impossible", said Kouchai.

Due to the increased persecution and not being able to trust anyone, he had to keep changing his residence, for fear of him and his family being found.

"No-one. How can I trust? It's about 100 times that I changed my place.

"There was no good places."

At the end of October, Kouchai took the difficult decision to flee the country and try to cross the border into Pakistan with his wife, who was eight months pregnant, and their three young children.

After a terrifying journey and three days on the border, the family made it to Pakistan, where their baby daughter was born.

Despite all the dangers in Afghanistan, starting a new life in a new country has not been easy.

Kouchai said: "I love my country, but my country is gone, forever.

"Twenty years we had to work in the country, to do our best there, to do jobs, to train the people, but it's gone."

When asked about how he is doing now after leaving Afghanistan behind, Kouchai was more positive about the future.

He said: "When I left Afghanistan absolutely everybody was crying, everybody saying 'that's my land, that’s my place, that's my country, where I'm born'.

"But today I'm in the UK, I'm feeling very happy, I'm very, very happy with these people.

"They gave me good hand, they are saying 'you are in the UK, you will progress, there will be development, for your children, your wife', today I am feeling very happy here."