-
Email contradicts Boris Johnson’s claim over evacuation of animals from Afghanistan

The Arab News reported that according to an email released on Wednesday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson personally authorized the evacuation of 173 dogs and cats from Afghanistan.
On Dec. 7, Johnson claimed that it was “complete nonsense” that he had intervened to have the animals evacuated, and that he had “no influence on that particular case,” adding: “Nor would that be right.”
Zac Goldsmith, a minister and member of the House of Lords, told parliamentary colleagues that Johnson’s statement was “entirely accurate,” which this email now contradicts.
The email was sent on Aug. 25 last year by an official at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office during the evacuation from Kabul.

Addressed to the department’s “special cases” team, the official wrote: “The PM has just authorised their staff and animals to be evacuated.”
The government and Johnson have come under fire from MPs and a Foreign Office whistleblower for allegedly reallocating military and governmental resources from rescuing Afghans to recovering pets.
Boris Johnson refuses to resign over COVID lockdown parties
The founder of the Nowzad charity, former Royal Marine Pen Farthing, denies the claims. The charity chartered its own plane and put the animals in the hold, freeing up space for people, but civil servants and MPs said their presence meant that limited military resources were redirected to protect the convoy of animals.
In December, former Foreign Office worker Raphael Marshall told MPs that the department had received “an instruction from the prime minister” to use “considerable capacity” to help Farthing.
Boris Johnson to face MPs in Commons as Sue Gray report is due
During the airlift, Foreign Affairs Select Committee Chairman and Afghanistan veteran Tom Tugendhat criticized the decision to airlift the animals.
But Farthing told the BBC: “At no time did any British soldiers leave Kabul airport to get me in, I’m dumbfounded that he’s said this to Parliament.
Boris Johnson virtually meets with world leaders to discuss Ukraine situation
“As a charity, how many times do we have to tell people the truth? He said the government transported our animals. We left Kabul on a privately chartered flight, there was no government involvement.”
Source: arabnews
You May Also Like
Popular Posts
Caricature
BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
opinion
Report
ads
Newsletter
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the new updates!