Two former Afghan interpreters who were nearly killed serving with UK troops on the frontline face deportation back to Afghanistan.

The men, named only as Maroof and Naqeeb, were forced to flee to Germany after the British Government refused to help them when they reported death threats and targeted attacks by the Taliban.

But now the German authorities have warned they must return to their homeland and from there apply to the UK for assistance.

The pair, who were injured by Taliban bombs which killed British soldiers in Helmand Province, went to the UK embassy in Berlin for help.

There they claim they were merely given the telephone number in the Afghan capital Kabul of a special UK unit set up to examine threats against translators – which had ignored their pleas for assistance.

The two men, named only as Maroof and Naqeeb, went to the UK embassy in Berlin (pictured) for help but were told they must return to their homeland and apply for assistance there

They are among dozens of interpreters who risked their lives for UK troops but have been denied sanctuary in Britain because they were not serving in December 2012.

Under a relocation scheme, interpreters had to have been serving on the arbitrary date in order to qualify.

They could technically qualify for a second ‘intimidation’ scheme but they must be able to ‘prove’ they have been intimidated.

A report by the Commons defence select committee published last month revealed not a single interpreter has been allowed to the UK under this second scheme.

Maroof, 28, was rescued by Afghan police as he was seized and beaten by Taliban thugs.

Speaking from Germany, he told the Mail: ‘I fear that if we go back to Kabul we have no future and will die at the hands of the Taliban.

‘The German authorities said that if I had worked for their military they could help me – but I worked for the British and they say they should help me. But the British in Kabul know the very real threats against me and how I was attacked by three Taliban who wanted to kill me. They [the British] told me I was on my own and had to look after myself.’

Both Maroof and Naqeeb, 33, worked separately on the frontlines with the British military between 2009 and 2011 in Helmand, where they were injured in improvised explosive device attacks.

They said they reported Taliban threats to the British intimidation unit in Kabul, but were told it was unable to help. Finally, they both decided to flee and make the dangerous journey to Europe.

In 2014, Naqeeb travelled through Iran, Turkey, Greece, Serbia, Hungary and Austria with the hope of reaching England.

The Afghan translators were injured in Helmand Province (stock picture) alongside UK troops

But he said he was arrested in France and warned he would not make it to Britain. Instead he went to Germany, where at the time Afghans were welcomed.

His story is mirrored by that of Maroof, who fled in 2015. He too ended up in Germany.

The Daily Mail’s Betrayal of the Brave campaign, which has been supported by former senior military figures, MPs and soldiers, has highlighted the scandal of several interpreters facing deportation as well as the plight of dozens claiming to face death threats still in Afghanistan.

Maroof added: ‘If we are sent back then the Taliban will try to kill us. It is why we believe that Britain remains our only real hope of a normal and safe life for us and our families.

‘We almost died serving with them [the British] but they are now safe. We too would like to be safe.’

Their pleas come as one of Afghanistan’s leaders has admitted that interpreters face a higher risk from the Taliban than others in the war-ravaged nation.

Abdullah Abdullah, the Afghan government’s chief executive, said he would be understanding if Britain changed its policy to give them sanctuary in the UK.

He said: ‘We do know that the risks are higher for those people from the Taliban, from the terrorist groups. We do understand, hopefully there will be a way out.’