The secret mission to save LGBT Afghans

"They said they were going to look for LGBT+ people. They had names, they had addresses, they were searching homes, stopping people on the street."

Ali* has spent his life being cautious. If officials in his home country of Afghanistan ever found out he was bisexual, he could have been arrested and taken to court.

But when the Taliban seized control of the country a year ago, he knew he had to leave. Under their interpretation of Sharia law, homosexuality is punishable by death.

Almost overnight, people like Ali began being actively hunted.

"They are not primitive like you think they are. They can hack phones, they can look at your messages, even a simple song could have been enough to get you in trouble," he said.

Shortly after the Taliban regained power, Ali and about 30 others were evacuated in a highly secret mission, organised by the UK government and charities, which BBC News can reveal details of for the first time.