UK under pressure over Afghan asylum seekers amid civilian deaths (The Guardian) (20 February 2018)

Toufique Hossain, comments on the shocking number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan over the last year. According to the report by the UN assistance mission in Afghanistan, there were more than 10,000 casualties for the fourth year running. More than 25% of deaths were as a result of attacks directed at civilians. According to these figures, any asylum seekers which the Home Office returns to Kabul are at risk of harm. This is against the Home Office’s Country Guidance Policy. The Policy recognises that Afghanistan is the second most dangerous country in the world after Syria, according to the Global Peace Index 2017. As a Director and solicitor who represents Afghan clients in appealing their removal, Toufique has this to say about the Home Office’s “perverse” practice:

“[It is] obviously at odds with their current action, which is to refuse people protections claims on the basis that they can return to Kabul...They’re accepting that apart from Syria, this is the next most dangerous place, but we’re still sending 18-year-olds to [Kabul].”