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Aug 2021

Last Updated: 18/08/2021

Community

North Yorkshire to rehome eight Afghan families

by Calvin Robinson

| 19 Aug, 2021

Eight Afghan families will be resettled in North Yorkshire as part of a scheme to rehome those who worked with British forces. Harrogate Borough Council had previously committed to resettling 19 people.

Afghan families will be resettled in the UK as the British armed forces withdraw from the country. Picture: Defence Images/Flickr.

Eight Afghan families are to be rehomed in North Yorkshire as part of a government resettlement scheme.

Earlier this year, ministers said thousands of Afghans who worked for the British army, mostly interpreters, will be offered resettlement in the UK as the armed forces withdraw from the country.

The move comes as the withdrawal of Britain and United States has been criticised after Taliban forces rapidly took control of Afghanistan this past week.

Now, county council officials said North Yorkshire will open its doors to those fleeing the country from persecution.

Neil Irving, assistant director for policy, partnerships and communities at North Yorkshire County Council, said:

“Following the announcement that NATO military forces would withdraw from Afghanistan, the UK government saw a need to accelerate relocations under the scheme.

“So far the councils in North Yorkshirehave agreed to resettle about eight families. The people we are welcoming to North Yorkshire have shown great courage in supporting British troops in the face of high personal risk. With the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, they now face increased threats to their lives, so it is right for us to honour their service by offering them our protection.

“Thanks to thorough preparation by the organisations involved, we are confident that their settlement and integration will be safe and as smooth as possible.”

19 Afghans get homes in Harrogate district in resettlement scheme

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Nationally, more than 3,000 Afghans are expected to be allowed to settle in the UK, joining 1,300 who have already done so.

In June, senior Harrogate borough councillors agreed to offer resettlement to 19 Afghans, which amounts to four families, under the same scheme.

The Harrogate district has previously taken part in other resettlement programmes, including welcoming 13 Syrian families between 2016 and 2017.

Cllr Mike Chambers, cabinet member for housing and safer communities at the council, said the families are not only offered a place to live, but also given opportunities to go to school, learn English and find employment.

He added that the authority would be prepared to resettle more families if it was required to do so.

Meanwhile, the government has also committed to resettling 20,000 Afghan refugees in the UK after thousands have tried to flee the country.

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North Yorkshire to rehome eight Afghan families

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