UK enters final stages of Kabul evacuation in Afghanistan
Britain will not accept any more people for flights out of Kabul beyond those already inside the airport after it shut its processing center and entered the final stages of its evacuation from Afghanistan, Defense Minister Ben Wallace said.
FollowThe UK Armed Forces have now entered the final stages of its Kabul evacuation and no more people will be called to the airport to leave, the Ministry of Defence said on Friday.
Britain will not accept any more people for flights out of Kabul beyond those already inside the airport after it shut its processing center and entered the final stages of its evacuation from Afghanistan, Defense Minister Ben Wallace said.
He said Britain was preparing the last 1,000 people inside the airfield who would fly out on Friday as the country winds down its 20-year presence in Afghanistan, set to complete its departure before the United States’ scheduled exit by Aug. 31.
The UK’s ability to process further cases is now extremely reduced and additional numbers will be limited. No further people will be called forward to the airport for evacuation.
According to a press release of Ministry of Defense, Wallace said, “Our top priority as we move through this process will be the protection of all those involved who are operating in a heightened threat environment.”
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“It is with deep regret that not everyone has been able to be evacuated during this process. But I am proud of this remarkable achievement from our Border Force, Armed Forces, MOD, FCDO, Home Office who have evacuated over 13,000 people in 14 days during Operation Pitting. We will continue to honour our debt to all those who have not yet been able to leave Afghanistan. We will do all that we can to ensure they reach safety, he added.”
“It is with deep regret that not everyone has been able to be evacuated during this process,” he said, adding that he thought there were around 100 to 150 British nationals still in the country, some of whom were willingly staying.
The decision comes after two explosions hit Kabul airport on Thursday that killed nearly 90 people including 13 US military personnel.
At least 150 people were also wounded in the attack, which the so-called Islamic State group say it was behind.
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