PARAS 2 Fahim, Ahmad

The Battalion
By Col. Robert W. Black

Craig Robertson

Administrator
Staff member
  • SURNAME
Fahim
  • FORENAME
Ahmad
  • UNIT
Parachute Regiment (3 PARA)
  • RANK
Private
  • NUMBER
30286834
  • AWARD
Mention in Despatches
  • PLACE
2021
  • ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
born Afghanistan
served interpreter with US Army/ Op.Enduring Freedom
moved UK
2008 joined Parachute Regiment
aged 36 when received MiD
London Gazette 63695, 13th May 2022, Page 9122
Private Fahim, 36, was born in Afghanistan and after serving as an interpreter with the US Army and on Operation Enduring Freedom, from 2004-2012, moved to the UK and subsequently joined the British Army’s Parachute Regiment in 2018.

He was cited in the latest list for a Mention in Despatches (MiD) as the battlegroup’s interpreter, who “showed outstanding bravery and selfless commitment during Op Pitting”. Without his critical intervention, the clearing of a route between the Evacuee Handling Centre and the airport would not have been possible in the early days of the evacuation.

On learning of his award, Private Fahim said: “I feel really proud, from where I’ve come, to be getting this. I never expected it. I’m feeling happy and overwhelmed at the same time.”

His citation says: “He displayed unflinching courage and compassion amidst specific threats to his person and scenes of unimaginable desperation amongst his fellow countrymen. His actions were utterly critical to the UK mission’s success.”

Private Fahim, whose parents and siblings fled the Taliban last August, was responsible for clearing a route between the Evacuee Handling Centre and the airport and helped to pull people from the crowd to safety.

“When you’re in there, you really know the desperation those people were having,” he said. “I was just imagining my sister and mother being in the crowd. Every family I brought to the gate, I brought them in and helped them. When they said, ‘thank you my son’ and to see the happiness on their faces, that energised me, and I wanted to help even more.”

Private Fahim, who was shot by the Taliban on a previous tour with the US military, was 100 metres away from the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) that went off. He ran into the crowd to try and help, without a thought for his own safety. He said: “I was going into the crowd, trying to help these wounded people. Even though I knew there might be a second explosion, I didn’t think about it for a second. I didn’t have body armour on because I was moving so much, and the heat was stifling.”


When Private Fahim knew he was going to be taking part in the operation he felt he would be useful because he knows the ground, the culture, the language and the people. "I felt I could put a lot into that and show my skills. I was very keen to get on it," he said.
 
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