This week’s guest is Rafi Hottak…

Rafi is a former Afghan interpreter who severely injured whilst working with British forces in Afghanistan.

Rafi served as an interpreter for 5 years on the front lines of the volatile Helmand province, and in 2007 was seriously injured in an explosion that killed a senior British officer.

He suffered shrapnel wounds to the head, neck, arms and chest, and after it was made clear he was being targeted by the Taliban, he fled his home country to the UK in 2011.

Instead of being welcomed by the Home Office, he was accused of fabricating his service as an interpreter, and went through a battle to have his failed bid for asylum overturned - an embarrassing U-turn for the Home Office.

Since being granted refugees status and being allowed to live and work in the UK, Rafi has completed multiple qualifications and dedicates his free time to campaigning for members of the Afghan special forces who served alongside the British to be acknowledged and assisted by the Home Office.

Rafi is also a volunteer case worker for Azadi - a charity that assisted, and continues to assist, in the rescue and resettlement of Afghan refugees in the wake of the catastrophic Taliban takeover of Afghanistan just over a year ago.

Twitter - @MHottak

Support Azadi - azadicharity.com

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