An Afghan national who interpreted for the Dutch army in Uruzgan is to be deported to Norway, junior justice minister Fred Teeven has confirmed.

Abdul Ghafoor Ahmadzai, who is 31, first fled to Norway in 2010 after his brother was murdered and he was threatened. He came to the Netherlands when his asylum claim there was rejected.

‘The simple fact that someone … worked for a Dutch mission is not sufficient’ to grant asylum, Teeven said in a briefing to MPs. Around 120 locals worked for the Dutch as interpreters in Uruzgan between 2006 and 2010.

Unfortunate

The minister also said it is ‘unfortunate’ Ahmadzai had appeared in a BBC documentary, which contravenes Dutch defence ministry policy on protecting the identity of its local employees.

The Dutch immigration service has refused to consider his request because of the prior claim in another EU country.

Ahmadzai told the NRC he has been ‘floored’ by the decision. ‘If I go back to Afghanistan, I will die,’ he said.