A group of unsuccessful Afghan asylum-seekers were being escorted on to flights home at Gatwick today.

They are the first to be forcibly deported since the fall of their country's Taliban regime.

Eight years ago the Home Office stopped sending refugees back to Afghanistan because of instability in the country. The failed asylum seekers were granted exceptional leave to remain in the UK.

However, since the change of regime in Afghanistan the rules have been changed.

In August the Home Office offered a cash incentive to families choosing to return to Afghanistan.

However, only 39 people took them up on the offer.

Refugee support groups voiced their outrage at today's forced expulsions.

Margaret Lally, acting chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: "It is far too early for forced returns to Afghanistan when there is very credible evidence that the country is not yet safe."

Alan Gibson, a spokesman for the Committee for the Defence of Asylum Seekers, said: "Some of these people are going to die, there is no doubt about that. It is no wonder they do not want to go back."