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Related: Inside the £7bn secret scramble to save lives after the MoD Afghan data breach

The UK government is facing strong strong criticism for ending evacuation support for nearly 9,000 Afghan allies eligible for relocation, effectively leaving them without a safe route out of Afghanistan.

Defence Minister Luke Pollard confirmed on Tuesday that these Afghans must now independently travel to a third country, such as Pakistan, to receive housing and visa assistance from the UK.

MPs, campaigners, and lawyers have condemned the decision as “shocking and deeply disappointing”, saying it is a moral and legal failure towards those who assisted British forces.

Colonel Simon Diggins, a former defence attaché, stressed the UK's “moral responsibility” to these individuals, who continue to face threats from the Taliban.

Concerns were raised about the substantial debt…