The Government will reconsider its refusal to help Afghans who worked alongside the New Zealand Defence Force, as Taliban militants swiftly claim territory and threaten their lives.

A group of 38 Afghans who worked as tractor drivers, labourers, cleaners, and cooks for the Defence Force, have been pleading with the Government to be allowed into New Zealand. The group is increasingly fearful they will be targeted because they worked for a foreign military force, as the Taliban claim provinces close to Bamiyan, where New Zealand soldiers served.

The Taliban has captured its eighth provincial capital in Afghanistan - this time in the city of Pul-e-Khumri, the capital of Baghlan province, which is north of Kabul. 

Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi wrote to the group as recently as July 5 to say the Government was not looking to "extend" assistance to the former workers. But, on Thursday, he said the Government had not ruled it out and “things have moved on”.

“It's hard for us to understand exactly how many might want to apply for a pathway. Also, we have to have some discussions [with] the NZDF about how we might ascertain who might be eligible for it, but we're not opposed to looking at it,” he said.

“It was an emerging issue ... We've had some discussions with officials to kind of give us an idea of what that might look like, but you know what you've seen over the last weeks has seen things escalate pretty quickly there.

“That's why we are asking for some advice ... about what we could do, how many people might be eligible, and how the Defence Force might ascertain who would be eligible.”

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The Government, in 2012 and 2013, resettled 30 Afghan interpreters and their families in New Zealand and offered other three years salary to relocate within Afghanistan.

The last New Zealand troops left Afghanistan in March, and the remaining United States soldiers will leave in the next four weeks.

As the international armed forces withdraw, Taliban militants, who once controlled much of the country and who were condemned for being an oppressive regime, have seized territory from Afghanistan government forces.

Basir Ahmad​, a former Defence Force interpreter, said it would be “life saving” if the Government decided to offer a way into New Zealand.

“We can only say, ‘Please, please’ ... The next target will be Bamiyan, and if it happens they will kill all of these people. The provinces are falling very, very fast.

“First they are searching for the people who work with foreign troops, then they're hunting down people who work for the government, and they have taken a lot of people, and they killed all of them.”

He said the group seeking entry to New Zealand could be as large as 200 people, if family members are included.

And, given New Zealand had closed its borders, he said the group could travel to another country for four or five months while entry to New Zealand was arranged.

“I know that the New Zealand has closed their borders, I can understand their situation ... I don’t want to hurt them in terms of Covid.”

Ahmad provided documents said to prove employment with the Defence Force. The documents included reference letters by Defence Force soldiers which detailed their work in jobs such as labourers and cleaners.