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London — Britain ended its evacuation flight from Kabul Airport on Saturday and began taking troops home, despite admitting that “we couldn’t take everyone out” by the British Supreme Officer. ..
The British Ministry of Defense said the last flight of Afghan citizens would depart Kabul and further flights over the weekend would return British troops and diplomats, but they could carry a few remaining British or Afghan civilians. There is also.
“It’s time to end this stage of the operation,” said Laurie Bristow, British ambassador to Afghanistan, from Kabul Airport.
“But we haven’t forgotten the people who still need to leave,” Bristow said in a video posted on Twitter. “We will continue to do everything we can to help them, and we have never forgotten the brave and decent people of Afghanistan. They deserve peace and security.”
A Royal Air Force plane carrying British diplomatic staff and soldiers landed at RAF Brize Norton Air Force Base in northwestern London early Saturday morning. The 16th Air Assault Brigade unit was part of a unit of 1,000 British soldiers based in Kabul to assist in carrying out the air assault.
The UK says it has evacuated more than 14,500 people from Kabul in the last two weeks, leaving as many as 1,100 Afghans eligible to come to the UK. Some British lawmakers trying to help the left-behind members and their families believe that the true sum is higher.
“We couldn’t get everyone out, and it was painful, and there were some very challenging decisions that had to be made on the ground,” said British Army Chief Nick Carter. The general said the BBC.
Since the rapid takeover of the Taliban this month after most US troops have left, foreign citizens from around the world and the Afghans who worked with them have tried to leave the country. More than 100,000 people have been evacuated from Kabul Airport, according to US officials.
A desperate and chaotic escape became deadly on Thursday when suicide bombers attacked a crowd gathered near Kabul Airport. According to preliminary counts, the attack killed 169 Afghans and 13 US troops. Two British citizens and another British child were also among those killed.
In London, Afghanistan came to the advice center of the Afghan and Central Asian Associations, eager for news of friends and relatives.
Salaji Dean Safi said he has been unable to contact relatives near Kabul Airport since the bombing on Thursday. He said they wanted to reach a safe European country, but he felt “despaired” by the lack of news.
Britain has evacuated thousands of former interpreters and others working with the British Army, but Shabnam Nasimi, coordinator of the London Association’s advisory program, said she was “ravaged” by many others. Stated.
“There are many others who indirectly supported our work there to bring about democracy, freedom of speech, and a much better society for Afghanistan,” Nasimi said. “And the fact that we were unaware of it and now abandoned those people. And these include, for example, journalists and judges who are the direct targets of the Taliban.”
“The future of these individuals is very bleak,” she said.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised to “move heaven and earth” on Friday to take more people from Afghanistan to Britain by other means, although no specific details were given.
British officials hope that some people may be able to leave Afghanistan by land to neighboring countries. There, their claim to come to the UK could be processed. It will depend specifically on diplomatic coordination and cooperation from the Taliban.
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