- A twitter statement from Boris Johnson
- How many Britain nationals are estimated to still be in Afghanistan
Britain has finally finished its evacuation from Afghanistan, four days after a bomb eploded at Kabul airport killed at least 180 Afghans and 13 US soldiers. Britain’s final evacuation flight from Kabul has touched down in the UK, marking the end of the UK’s 20 year campaign in Afghanistan. The last flight touched down at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire early Sunday morning. In a statement issued on Twitter, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK departure from Afghanistan was “the culmination of a mission unlike anything we’ve seen in our lifetimes”.
Mr Johnson said that over 15,000 people had been taken to safety in the last two weeks during the evacuation, including UK nationals and people who had proved their loyalty to Britain. Mr Johnson also said the Taliban could be formally recognised by diplomats as the government of Afghanistan if they can convince the West they are not breaching human rights. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace previously warned that the UK would not be able to get everyone out of the war torn country, estimating that between 800 and 1,100 people would not make it out, while 100 to 150 British nationals were also being left behind, although some of these individuals chose to stay. Conservative MP and veteran Tobias Ellwood said that despite the efforts, the UK had “very little to show” for 20 years in Afghanistan.
