UK ends Kabul evacuation and no more people will be called to leave

UK ends Kabul evacuation and no more people will be called to leave
August 27, 2021, 1:48 pm

Ben wallace

The BBC reported according to UK ministry of defence, the UK has entered the final stages of its Kabul evacuation and no more people will be called to the airport to leave.

The MoD said processing facilities at the Baron Hotel, outside the capital's airport, had been closed.

The defence secretary expressed "deep regret" that not everyone eligible had been evacuated, including around 800 to 1,100 Afghans and 100 to 150 Britons.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the UK's withdrawal "wasn't hastened by the attack".

Afghans waiting to be evacuated

It had earlier been thought there were two explosions, but the Pentagon said on Friday that there had been no second explosion at, or near, the Baron Hotel, which is close to the airport.

On Friday morning, the MoD said 13,708 people had been evacuated by the UK from Kabul under Operation Pitting, which began on 13 August.

Mr Wallace said this included nearly 8,000 Afghans eligible under the UK's relocation scheme for those who worked for the UK government and other vulnerable individuals, as well as 4,000 British passport holders.

Read more: New Taliban head of security for Kabul is designated by U.S. as terrorist

Others evacuated include embassy staff and nationals from partner nations.

The defence secretary said the operation was "a remarkable achievement" in a "very hostile environment".

While the evacuation operation from the airport is coming to an end, Mr Wallace told the Today programme the UK's Afghan relocation scheme would remain open "indefinitely".

He added that if eligible people were able to get to other countries, the UK could process them there.

The defence secretary said it was likely the Taliban would want to keep the airport functioning in the future and people may be able to leave by that route "in the medium term".

Source: BBC

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