Independent reporter wins top award for investigation into fate of Afghan 'Triples'

The Independent's social affairs correspondent, Holly Bancroft, has won an Amnesty International award for her reporting on the fate of Afghan soldiers who fought with UK forces.

- HOLLY EVANS

Her powerful joint investigation with Sky News and Lighthouse Reports uncovered evidence that soldiers who were trained, paid by and who worked "shoulder to shoulder" with the British army were left to face torture and death at the hands of the Taliban.

The story was chosen as winner of the written news category at the Amnesty International UK Media Awards 2024 on Thursday. The investigation proved for the first time that the troops known as the "Triples" - had been paid by the British government and had been systematically denied help by the UK after the fall of Kabul in 2021.

As a result of the reporting, the Ministry of Defence has begun a review of 2,000 resettlement applications and an amendment was tabled to the Safety of Rwanda Bill to try and prevent asylum seekers who helped UK forces from being deported to Rwanda.