April 26, 2024

Thousands of Afghans are reportedly leaving British hotels

London

Thousands of refugees from Afghanistan are expected to leave their hotel accommodation in the UK in the next few months. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s conservative government announced it would receive letters to victims in London by the end of April. Then they have three months to leave. By the end of the year, all of the nearly 9,000 Afghans who have stayed in hotels since fleeing in August 2021 will have left them, the Times reported.

Government spending on refugee accommodation in Britain is an ongoing issue. According to the government, the Afghans should be provided with alternative accommodation. “However, if they do not accept this offer, there will be nothing else,” said Secretary of State Johnny Mercer. Keeping people in hotels is not sustainable when the cost of living is high. According to The Times, military bases may also serve as refugee shelters.

After the radical Islamist Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, the West emptied local Afghan forces. However, many had to retreat. Labor MP John Healy criticized the government for issuing “eviction notices to 8,000 Afghans, half of whom are children, with no guarantee that they will be given a suitable place to live”.

The British government wants to severely limit the possibility of applying for asylum in Great Britain with the new law. The plan is to detain all people who enter the UK irregularly, regardless of their background, for up to a month. They are then deported to their home country or – if it is too dangerous – to Rwanda or another country.

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An announcement: This report is part of the German Press Agency’s (dpa) automated service, which operates according to strict journalistic rules. It has not been edited or verified by AZ Online editors. Please send questions and comments to [email protected]