London: The UK has relocated over 5,000 Afghan citizens through a secret operation named ‘Operation Lazort,’ Arab media reports.
According to the reports, this covert mission, which began last October, involved the transfer of former military personnel, intelligence assets, and their families from Afghanistan and offered them accommodation at military sites across the UK.
Among those evacuated from Afghanistan, 150 Afghans worked directly for the intelligence services.
A British newspaper source indicated that the former Conservative government aimed to reduce the number of immigrants.
Approximately 4,000 of those relocated were stranded in Pakistani hotels, with expenses covered by London.
Another 1,000 individuals traveled to Pakistan using passports issued by the Taliban soon after the operation began.
Many of those who reached the UK left their homeland due to threats from the Taliban.
These individuals join the nearly 27,000 Afghans who had already been brought to the UK following the Taliban takeover in August 2021.
Sources mention that security checks are being conducted before offering accommodation to the relocated individuals, with 700 homes allocated so far.