This morning’s papers include reporting on Afghan interpreters and the future Protector aircraft.
Interpreters
The Daily Mail front page and supporting leader column report that a man understood to have been a translator for British forces in Afghanistan has committed suicide because he feared he was facing deportation from the UK, having travelled via migration routes to Britain. The article reports that friends of Nangyahai Dawoodzai have said he had been depressed because he had been told that he would have to return to Italy to claim asylum having been finger-printed there.
The Home Office provided a statement for the article which said "We are very saddened by this tragic case. As investigations are continuing, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage."
The Minister for the Armed Forces, Penny Mordaunt, wrote a blog entry on Afghan interpreters setting out the redundancy and resettlement policies the MOD has which can be read here.
A MOD spokesperson said:
We recognise the vital role local staff, including interpreters, played in operations in Afghanistan. That is why, as well as offering a generous redundancy package in recognition of this service, we have a permanent expert team based in Kabul. They assist with relocations within Afghanistan and, where necessary, relocation to the UK.
Protector
The Daily Telegraph reports that the General Atomics Certifiable Predator B has been ‘downselected’ by the MOD as part of an uplift in RPAS capability. The article uses an infographic to explain the new capability of the Protector and holds a statement from the MOD.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said:
These new drones will provide cutting edge intelligence gathering capability and help keep our country safe. They are a key part of our £178 billion equipment plan, backed by a defence budget that will increase every year from now until the end of the decade.
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