Afghanistan: Former Army interpreter's reunion with dad marks 'best time ever'

A former interpreter for the British Army who feared his father was at "imminent risk" in Afghanistan has been reunited with him.

Jamal Barak, who now lives in Coventry, said in August he had heard reports the Taliban was searching for his father, who had also worked for British forces.

Mr Barak said the Ministry of Defence (MoD) had flown his parents and four younger siblings to the UK on Friday.

He said seeing his family again marked the "best time ever".

"We were hugging each other and crying, especially my mum and my dad and my little brother - it was an amazing time," he said.

Mr Barak, who spent eight years assisting troops from the age of 16, said his father had been trying to get on a flight shortly before the evacuations to the UK ended.

But his father, a gardener at a military base in Helmand province, had been unable to get to Kabul airport because of the Taliban presence.

However, the family fled to Pakistan and were flown to the UK via Cyprus.

Boris Johnson had promised to help people left in Afghanistan.

Mr Barak said he had "no words to express my gratitude", and was thankful for everyone's help.

He was looking forward to spending time with his family after their quarantine at a hotel ends.

"They are very kind to people in this country so I am totally happy that they are safe so I don't have to worry anymore about my family in the UK," he said, adding his father was hoping to return to gardening work.

However, Mr Barak added he was still "extremely worried" about another brother who was not given a UK visa because he is aged over 18 and who he said had been detained by the Taliban.

"I am trying my best to speak to the MoD so they can give further assistance to my little brother so we can bring him to the UK," he said.

Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk