Piers Morgan joins call to stop Afghan war hero from being deported to Rwanda

Piers Morgan has appealed directly to the Prime Minister to stop the deportation of an Afghan war hero to Rwanda, as he has given his supportThe Independent‘s campaign.

The air force lieutenant, who flew 30 combat missions with the British army against the Taliban and was hailed as a “patriot of his nation” by his commander in the coalition forces, was threatened with deportation to Rwanda.

The Independent wants the government to allow the pilot – who arrived in a small boat after being unable to find a safe legal route – to remain in the UK. He is desperate that his young family will be brought to safety from the Taliban.

Sharing a clip from his TalkTV show, Mr Morgan said the case was a scandal that “shamed Britain”. Addressing Rishi Sunak directly, he tweeted, “Do the right thing and give this hero a new life here, then bring his family over as well.” It’s the least we can do after everything he’s done for us.”

The TV presenter and journalist spoke about the pilot’s case as former Chief of the Army General Lord Richard Dannatt and Geordie Greig, Editor-in-Chief of the independent, appeared on his show.

“It’s a complete failure of our moral duty as a country,” Morgan told viewers. “This man is a hero… We have a moral imperative to take care of him and his family.”

The Independent has started a petition calling on Britain to support Afghan war heroes who have served alongside Britain

Morgan, whose brother was a colonel in Afghanistan, said: “I think this is a really important battle. It may be a single man, but it represents a large number of people who have sacrificed much, many of whom have sacrificed their lives.

“And he can’t go back now because the Taliban would hunt him down and kill him and he has to be scared of what’s going to happen.

“We will continue to bang on place 10.”

Mr. Sunak has yet to reply to a letter from the pilot.

Lord Dannatt said there was absolutely no doubt that the pilot absolutely deserved our protection.

“The thought that he could be extradited is appalling,” he said.

He added: “I would be very surprised if Rishi Sunak or Ben Wallace [defence secretary] didn’t enforce that.

“You should now use your discretion and quietly announce that his family will be there too.”

Lord Dannatt is among senior military and MPs who have joined the support of 50,000 people The Independent‘S Petition calling on Britain to grant sanctuary to Afghan war heroes who served alongside British forces.

Others include Air Marshal Edward Stringer, former chief of the RAF forces in Afghanistan, former NATO chief Lord Robertson and Labor leader Keir Starmer.

Prince Harry’s friend and former colleague Ben McBean also supports our campaign.

Mr Greig said such people did not lightly support the campaign unless they thought they were supporting people “whom they were supporting when they got our army to do things that are for the betterment of the world, the maintenance of democracy and the fight for freedom were necessary. ”

The presenter said he would like to include Prince Harry himself.

The Afghan pilot says he was forced into hiding when the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021. He told The Independent that he had no choice but to travel to Britain in a small boat because there were no viable safe routes.

He said: “What safe and legal way was there after the fall of Afghanistan? You came to Afghanistan on the first day as a kind and brotherly country and now this bad day has come upon us. [The UK government should] Keep and fulfill the promise of friendship and cooperation you made.

“The American and British forces have forgotten us. We worked with them and helped them as if they were our brothers. We are not Talib, we are not Isis, so why are they leaving us like this?”

The data shows that the Afghan Resettlement and Assistance Program (Arap) rejected 18,946 Afghans while only 3,399 were found eligible.

In the case of the pilot, the official Arap application process is under way.