Afghan veterans should be allowed to plug recruitment gaps in British Army, campaigners say

More than 1,400 Afghan veterans and their families have faced homelessness in the UK since being resettled after the Taliban takeover of Kabul in August 2021. Major Noor Aziz Ahmadzai, a former Afghan special forces officer trained at Sandhurst and awarded the Queen's Commendation for Bravery, is among those now working as a security guard after being unable to join the British Army due to citizenship requirements. Despite having indefinite leave to remain, Afghan veterans must wait five years before applying for British citizenship, which is required to enlist. Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat criticized the Ministry of Defence for failing to relax rules during a recruitment crisis, noting these veterans have proven loyalty and expertise from serving alongside British forces. The MoD maintains that citizenship is required for military service, though it provides transitional accommodation and employment support for resettled Afghans.