UK Foreign Office warns people in Afghanistan to stay away from Kabul airport

UK Foreign Office warns people in Afghanistan to stay away from Kabul airport
August 26, 2021, 5:18 am

Kabul airport

According to the BBC, the UK Foreign Office has warned people in Afghanistan should stay away from Kabul airport due to a "high threat of a terrorist attack".

The BBC reported, the FCDO told anyone in the area to "move away to a safe location and await further advice".

It added, Australia and the US have also issued alerts, telling those outside the airport to leave immediately.

The warning comes amid a race to airlift thousands from Kabul before the 31 August when foreign troops will depart.

UK-Afghanistan

In the update issued on Wednesday evening, the FCDO also warned that travelling by road was "extremely dangerous" with people alleged to have been "mistreated" on their way to the airport.

The UK government says the operation to remove British nationals, as well as Afghans who worked for the UK and other vulnerable individuals, is moving at "significant pace".

Read more: Taliban issues death decree for Afghan woman who lives in India

The BBC mentioned that more than 11,000 people have been evacuated with the help of 1,000 UK troops since 13 August, according to the Ministry of Defence.

Kabul airport is currently being defended and run by the US, which has 5,800 troops on the ground.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has told MPs that some Afghans wanting to flee to Britain may be better off trying to reach one of the country's borders and making their way to a third country.

Speaking in an online meeting, Mr Wallace is reported to have signalled there were few places left on evacuation flights and said "not everyone is going to get out".

Source: BBC

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