"For less than €15 a day, hundreds of Iraqis risk their lives to work as interpreters for the army. Many are now in hiding from death squads and feel abandoned by their former employers.

"They said they would protect us. What kind of protection are they giving us now?" laments one translator. For the last four years, translators like her worked alongside British soldiers, braving bombs and ambushes to help build the new Iraq. "I wanted to help my country. I was so happy, so excited", she explains. Now she's in hiding, unable to go home. All over Iraq, translators are being hunted down, accused of betraying their country. "They tortured me because I worked with the British army", describes one man. "They wanted the names and addresses of interpreters". Translators are angry that the British government refuses to grant them asylum. "The British don't protect us", complains one. "It is very dangerous, especially for interpreters working in Basra". As early as 2003, the army was warned their translators would be targeted. "There were certainly specific warnings, dating back to summer 2003", admits one solider. Now translators feel betrayed. "The British should help us. They are obligated to help us"." journeymanpictures