UK forces evacuating people from Afghanistan feared they ‘may not return home’
1 year, 6 months ago

UK forces evacuating people from Afghanistan feared they ‘may not return home’

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. As the Taliban encircled Kabul, one lieutenant colonel from UK Joint Force Headquarters, named only as Mike during the documentary, described the “surreal” experience of emptying bottles of wine and champagne at the British Embassy in the capital — a collection which was said to belong to the then-ambassador to Afghanistan, Sir Laurie Bristow. A sergeant major in the British Army’s Parachute Regiment, known only as “Gaz”, said that, although the 2021 experience had been “completely different” to his three previous combat tours of Afghanistan, it was “harder”, both physically and mentally. He added: “In quite vague terms, you had British foreign policy being dictated by a 19-year-old lance corporal at the front gate of the Baron hotel.” While allied forces worked on evacuating people, the perimeter of the air field was struck by a suicide bomber on August 26, 2021. “I’ve seen some grim stuff and that was grim.” After the final civilian flights left Kabul, attention turned to destroying British military vehicles and other kit left behind to prevent the Taliban from using them.

Afghanistan British Taliban Forces Kabul Raf  feared  evacuating  afghanistan  british  troops  trip  going  worked  uk  return  forces  taliban  bird

History of this topic

I watched terrified Britons flee Lebanon in 2006 – I fear it will happen again
3 months, 1 week ago

I watched terrified Britons flee Lebanon in 2006 – I fear it will happen again

The Independent  

Huddled on the dock, stooped from injury and fear, the wounded and the vulnerable waited patiently to be rescued. Holding a few precious possessions and flinching from the sound of constant shelling, parents, children and the elderly watched intently as the footbridge from the vast British naval ship was lowered onto the quayside. With up to 20,000 British citizens living …

British troops in Lebanon on standby for evacuation ‘on same scale’ as Kabul
5 months ago

British troops in Lebanon on standby for evacuation ‘on same scale’ as Kabul

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy More than 1,000 British military …

Families face ‘despair, fear and desperation’ as they are split apart by Afghan resettlement schemes
6 months ago

Families face ‘despair, fear and desperation’ as they are split apart by Afghan resettlement schemes

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. A coalition of 150 lawyers and charity workers have called on the new government …

Home Office acting too slowly to bring Afghans to UK, argue MPs and Lords
8 months, 1 week ago

Home Office acting too slowly to bring Afghans to UK, argue MPs and Lords

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy MPs and Lords have called on the Home Office to …

Revealed: 1,500 Afghans scrambled to UK in secretive mission
1 year, 1 month ago

Revealed: 1,500 Afghans scrambled to UK in secretive mission

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Defence minister James Heappey has said it is “great at …

Hundreds of Afghans evacuated from Pakistan ‘dumped’ in military bases as UK scrambles to find them homes
1 year, 1 month ago

Hundreds of Afghans evacuated from Pakistan ‘dumped’ in military bases as UK scrambles to find them homes

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. General Sir John McColl, a former deputy supreme allied commander in Europe, praised the …

UK scrambles to house Afghan refugees promised safe haven in Britain as Pakistan threatens deportation
1 year, 3 months ago

UK scrambles to house Afghan refugees promised safe haven in Britain as Pakistan threatens deportation

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Pakistan has also issued an ultimatum to the 1.7 million Afghan asylum seekers in the …

Panic attacks and malnutrition: Afghan family on what life is like in UK
1 year, 4 months ago

Panic attacks and malnutrition: Afghan family on what life is like in UK

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “This is having a negative impact on our unborn baby – at one time, …

Two years on, I’m haunted by the moment the Taliban brought death to Kabul
1 year, 4 months ago

Two years on, I’m haunted by the moment the Taliban brought death to Kabul

The Independent  

Among the terrible scenes of human misery that unfolded as people desperately tried to escape the Taliban in the wake of the fall of Kabul, there was one day that was particularly sad and haunting. One of her relations, a government official, was imprisoned and killed in Bamiyan by the local Taliban commander – one among many victims of the …

Thousands of Afghans in limbo two years after fall of Kabul despite pledge to save those who helped UK troops
1 year, 4 months ago

Thousands of Afghans in limbo two years after fall of Kabul despite pledge to save those who helped UK troops

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Labour MP and former soldier in Afghanistan Dan Jarvis called …

Just two Afghans promised safe haven by UK army brought from Pakistan in past three months
1 year, 6 months ago

Just two Afghans promised safe haven by UK army brought from Pakistan in past three months

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. My children are not getting any education and they feel so bad.” open image …

Abandoned by UK: Afghans with Taliban targets on their backs denied sanctuary
1 year, 7 months ago

Abandoned by UK: Afghans with Taliban targets on their backs denied sanctuary

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Tory MP Tobias Ellwood, chair of the defence select committee, …

‘Heartbreaking’: Hundreds of Afghans eligible to come to the UK abandoned in Islamabad
1 year, 9 months ago

‘Heartbreaking’: Hundreds of Afghans eligible to come to the UK abandoned in Islamabad

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Among those stranded are: A former interpreter who was embedded …

‘I need a life’: Afghans stuck in Pakistan hotels living in fear as they await evacuation to UK
1 year, 9 months ago

‘I need a life’: Afghans stuck in Pakistan hotels living in fear as they await evacuation to UK

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. No flights have been chartered for Afghans by the British government since last November, …

‘Open and honest’ review of UK Afghanistan involvement required, say MPs
1 year, 10 months ago

‘Open and honest’ review of UK Afghanistan involvement required, say MPs

The Independent  

The government should hold an “open, honest and detailed review” of the UK’s involvement in Afghanistan from 2001 until the chaotic evacuation in 2021, MPs have said. Committee chairman Tobias Ellwood called the withdrawal, which came as Kabul fell to the Taliban and prompted much criticism of the British response, a “dark chapter in UK military history”. A review by …

Thousands of Afghans accepted for relocation to UK still stranded eight months on
2 years, 8 months ago

Thousands of Afghans accepted for relocation to UK still stranded eight months on

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Sarah Magill, director of Azadi Charity, an organisation supporting applicants …

UK’s Kabul evacuation effort risked Afghan lives: Whistleblower
3 years, 1 month ago

UK’s Kabul evacuation effort risked Afghan lives: Whistleblower

Al Jazeera  

A tiny fraction of Afghans who needed help received support and some were left to die at the Taliban’s hands, civil service staffer says. Marshall’s written evidence is due to be published by the committee on Tuesday, and its chairman, Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat, said the “failures betrayed our friends and allies and squandered decades of British and NATO effort.” …

US urged to help more people escape Taliban-led Afghanistan
3 years, 1 month ago

US urged to help more people escape Taliban-led Afghanistan

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Members of the AfghanEvac Coalition …

Afghans refugees plead to be allowed back home
3 years, 3 months ago

Afghans refugees plead to be allowed back home

Daily Mail  

Afghan families who fled to Britain during the Taliban takeover of their country have asked to be sent back home. Hundreds of refugees arrived in the UK as part of Operation Warm Welcome, the government's resettlement programme, as British and American troops completed their withdrawal. Pictured: Border Force staff assist a female evacuee as Afghan refugees arrive from Kabul at …

About 60,000 in Afghan evacuation brought to U.S.
3 years, 4 months ago

About 60,000 in Afghan evacuation brought to U.S.

The Hindu  

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security says about 60,000 people have arrived in the country since August 17 from Afghanistan as part of the evacuation formally known as Operation Allies Welcome. DHS said in the latest updated released on Wednesday that 17% of those arrivals are U.S. citizens and permanent residents who were in Afghanistan when the government there fell …

UK in talks with Taliban to evacuate British citizens, Afghans
3 years, 4 months ago

UK in talks with Taliban to evacuate British citizens, Afghans

Al Jazeera  

Envoy travels to Doha for talks with Taliban on securing safe passage out of Afghanistan for remaining British nationals and allies. The United Kingdom has opened talks with the Taliban to secure “safe passage” out of Afghanistan for its citizens and Afghans who have worked for the British government. Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s special representative for Afghan transition, Simon Gass, …

Official begins discussions over safe passage for Brits and Afghans
3 years, 4 months ago

Official begins discussions over safe passage for Brits and Afghans

Daily Mail  

British officials have opened talks with the Taliban about getting UK citizens and allies out of Afghanistan, it emerged last night. It comes as the Home Office said around 10,000 refugees from Afghanistan who risked their lives to help British forces would be allowed to live and work indefinitely in the UK. Boris Johnson's special representative for Afghan transition, Simon …

Britain ends 20-year military campaign in Afghanistan as troops fly back
3 years, 4 months ago

Britain ends 20-year military campaign in Afghanistan as troops fly back

Live Mint  

The last remaining UK troops began landing back from Kabul in Britain on Sunday, ending the country’s 20-year military campaign in Afghanistan where the Taliban have seized power. In a video posted on Twitter on Sunday morning, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the end of Operation Pitting was the "culmination of a mission unlike anything we've seen in our lifetimes", …

The Latest: Last UK troops begin arriving from Afghanistan
3 years, 4 months ago

The Latest: Last UK troops begin arriving from Afghanistan

Associated Press  

LONDON — Military planes carrying British troops and diplomats from Kabul are landing at a U.K. air base after the U.K.’s two-week evacuation operation ended. Vice Adm. Ben Key, who was in charge of the British operation, said: “We tried our best.” In a video message, Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised the “colossal” effort, saying it was “a mission unlike …

Biden administration pledges ‘safe passage’ for Americans in Afghanistan after withdrawal deadline
3 years, 4 months ago

Biden administration pledges ‘safe passage’ for Americans in Afghanistan after withdrawal deadline

CNN  

CNN — The Biden administration is committed to a “safe passage” of Americans and Afghans who helped the US government after the withdrawal deadline from Afghanistan, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Sunday. After August 31st, we believe that we have substantial leverage to hold the Taliban to its commitments to allow safe passage for American citizens, legal permanent residents …

UK ends Kabul evacuations, calls troops home; haven't been able to bring everybody out, says officer
3 years, 4 months ago

UK ends Kabul evacuations, calls troops home; haven't been able to bring everybody out, says officer

India Today  

British troops have left Kabul, ending the UK's evacuation operation and its 20-year military involvement in Afghanistan. Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised the “heroic” evacuation effort, even as the government acknowledged some eligible Afghan civilians had been left behind. The UK government said late Saturday that about 1,000 troops who ran an airlift of British nationals and Afghan civilians had …

Final UK evacuation flight leaves Kabul; troops head home
3 years, 4 months ago

Final UK evacuation flight leaves Kabul; troops head home

Associated Press  

LONDON — British troops left Kabul on Saturday, ending the U.K.'s evacuation operation and its 20-year military involvement in Afghanistan. The U.K.’s top military officer conceded that “we haven’t been able to bring everybody out.” The U.K. government said late Saturday that about 1,000 troops who ran an airlift of British nationals and Afghan civilians had departed from Kabul airport, …

U.K. to conclude civilian evacuation from Afghanistan
3 years, 4 months ago

U.K. to conclude civilian evacuation from Afghanistan

The Hindu  

The U.K. will conclude its evacuation programme of civilians from Afghanistan on Saturday with only troops left to be flown out after that ahead of the August 31 exit deadline, Britain’s Chief of Defence Staff said. General Sir Nick Carter said during media interviews on Saturday that the country should be “holding its breath” at the challenge ahead amid the …

Britain’s Afghanistan evacuation mission will end today, armed forces chief says
3 years, 4 months ago

Britain’s Afghanistan evacuation mission will end today, armed forces chief says

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Speaking in the morning ahead of the final day of …

Britain out of Afghanistan: last troops depart after 20 years
3 years, 4 months ago

Britain out of Afghanistan: last troops depart after 20 years

The Telegraph  

Britain’s 20-year military campaign in Afghanistan came to an end on Saturday night as Boris Johnson insisted the UK would do all it could to “preserve the gains” from the sacrifices of troops. Writing in The Telegraph, Dominic Raab states that Britain will impose financial sanctions on the Taliban if they fail to grant remaining Afghans “safe passage” to flee …

Evacuation resumes with renewed urgency as desperation rises after Kabul twin bombings
3 years, 4 months ago

Evacuation resumes with renewed urgency as desperation rises after Kabul twin bombings

Firstpost  

Some US allies have said they are ending evacuation efforts, in part to give the US time to wrap up its own operations before getting 5,000 of its troops out by August 31 Kabul : Evacuation flights from Afghanistan resumed with new urgency on Friday, a day after two suicide bombings targeted the thousands of desperate people fleeing the Taliban …

United Kingdom to continue Afghan evacuation despite Kabul airport blasts
3 years, 4 months ago

United Kingdom to continue Afghan evacuation despite Kabul airport blasts

India TV News  

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday that Britain will continue its evacuation operation at the Kabul airport despite twin bombings there that reportedly have killed at least 60 people. "I want to stress that this threat of a terrorist attack is one of the constraints that we've been operating under in Operation Pitting, in the big extraction that's …

English teacher dies after being caught in crossfire at Kabul airport
3 years, 4 months ago

English teacher dies after being caught in crossfire at Kabul airport

Daily Mail  

A teacher of English who worked alongside British Council workers at Afghanistan’s equivalent of Sandhurst Military Academy died in hospital after being caught in crossfire at Kabul airport. Pictured: Security personnel assist with evacuation of the people waiting outside the airport in Kabul on August 25 A female friend of Noor Amiri, who worked for the British Council’s scheme teaching …

US presses on with evacuation from Afghanistan after deadly Kabul terrorist attack
3 years, 4 months ago

US presses on with evacuation from Afghanistan after deadly Kabul terrorist attack

CNN  

CNN — The United States still plans to end its mission in Afghanistan this month, the Pentagon said Friday, as the evacuation of US citizens and allies enters its final, desperate stage after a deadly bombing at Kabul’s airport. But the source cautioned that officials were “unsure how many they can get in with so much Taliban coordination required.” The …

The Evacuations Will Continue In Kabul Despite The Likelihood Of Another Attack
3 years, 4 months ago

The Evacuations Will Continue In Kabul Despite The Likelihood Of Another Attack

NPR  

The Evacuations Will Continue In Kabul Despite The Likelihood Of Another Attack Enlarge this image toggle caption Drew Angerer/Getty Images Drew Angerer/Getty Images President Biden reiterated Friday that the U.S. will continue its mission to evacuate Americans and Afghan allies despite the attack Thursday that killed 13 U.S. troops. Another attack in Kabul is likely The White House told reporters …

Afghanistan crisis: Canada halts evacuations as deadline looms
3 years, 4 months ago

Afghanistan crisis: Canada halts evacuations as deadline looms

India TV News  

Canada has ended evacuations from Kabul's airport, a Canadian general said Thursday, as the clock ticks down on dramatic Western efforts to help people flee the Taliban takeover ahead of a full American withdrawal. Canada and European allies pressed for more time but lost the argument, and as a practical matter, they may be forced to end their evacuations a …

August 26, 2021 Afghanistan-Taliban news
3 years, 4 months ago

August 26, 2021 Afghanistan-Taliban news

CNN  

People being evacuated from Afghanistan queue to board an U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at Hamid Karzai International Airport on August 24. The source estimated there were about 1,800 local US Embassy Afghan staff still to get to the airport and “36 hours to do it.” They had already recovered 1,300 local staff and evacuated them, they said. …

EXPLAINER: What’s happening with Afghanistan evacuations?
3 years, 4 months ago

EXPLAINER: What’s happening with Afghanistan evacuations?

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Since the Taliban seized the Afghan capital on Aug. 14, more than 82,000 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan in one of the largest U.S. airlifts in history. President Joe Biden set an Aug. 31 deadline to complete the U.S.-led evacuation, but the president has also asked for contingency plans in case the U.S. still needs to get …

Focused on completing evacuation from Afghanistan by August 31: US
3 years, 4 months ago

Focused on completing evacuation from Afghanistan by August 31: US

India TV News  

The Biden Administration Monday said it is now focused on completing its evacuation mission from Afghanistan by August 31, the deadline for removing all American troops from the country. However, a final decision to extend the evacuation mission from the Kabul airport would be taken by President Joe Biden, according to officials from the White House, the State Department and …

Taliban say they won’t allow Afghans to leave country, reject evacuation extension
3 years, 4 months ago

Taliban say they won’t allow Afghans to leave country, reject evacuation extension

CNN  

CNN — The Taliban said Tuesday that they were “not allowing the evacuation of Afghans anymore” and warned that the US must stick to next week’s deadline to pull out, as a frantic Western evacuation operation at Kabul airport picked up pace. They have called on the Taliban to guarantee safe passage for all those wishing to leave Afghanistan after …

First US troops have started leaving Afghanistan as Biden decides not to extend withdrawal deadline
3 years, 4 months ago

First US troops have started leaving Afghanistan as Biden decides not to extend withdrawal deadline

CNN  

CNN — Several hundred US troops have left Afghanistan, on the same day President Joe Biden decided not to extend the August 31 evacuation deadline, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby confirmed Tuesday evening. White House press secretary Jen Psaki had said in a statement earlier Tuesday that “The President conveyed that our mission in Kabul will end based on the …

They made us sit in open area for hours. Thought we might be killed: Evacuee recounts Taliban horror
3 years, 4 months ago

They made us sit in open area for hours. Thought we might be killed: Evacuee recounts Taliban horror

India Today  

Amid the Taliban takeover of war-ravaged Afghanistan, India and the United States have begun their evacuation process from Kabul. One such evacuee, Jeet Bahadur Thapa, recalls how he and other Indians thought they might be killed by the Taliban gunmen any moment as the Taliban gunmen made them sit on the ground in an open space at Kabul airport for …

The Latest: Biden warns of IS threat to Kabul evacuation
3 years, 4 months ago

The Latest: Biden warns of IS threat to Kabul evacuation

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is raising concerns that the Islamic State poses a threat as American troops seek to evacuate thousands of U.S. citizens and Afghan allies from Afghanistan. Ezat, a co-organizer of the gathering who asked not to be identified by his last name, said the Taliban “are taking back all freedoms we had until now and for …

British military: 7 Afghans killed in chaos at Kabul airport
3 years, 4 months ago

British military: 7 Afghans killed in chaos at Kabul airport

India TV News  

The chaos around Kabul’s international airport saw another seven Afghan civilian killed in crowds, the British military said Sunday, showing the danger still posed to those trying to flee the Taliban’s takeover of the country. The deaths come as a new, perceived threat from the Islamic State group affiliate in Afghanistan has seen U.S. military planes do rapid, diving combat …

'Imbecilic': Ex-UK leader Tony Blair slams Afghan withdrawal
3 years, 4 months ago

'Imbecilic': Ex-UK leader Tony Blair slams Afghan withdrawal

New Indian Express  

"The world is now uncertain of where the West stands because it is so obvious that the decision to withdraw from Afghanistan in this way was driven not by grand strategy but by politics," he added. Blair also accused U.S. President Joe Biden of being "in obedience to an imbecilic political slogan about ending 'the forever wars', as if our …

Infographic: How many people evacuated from Afghanistan so far?
3 years, 4 months ago

Infographic: How many people evacuated from Afghanistan so far?

Al Jazeera  

A week after the Taliban takeover, at least 28,000 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan, but tens of thousands more are still waiting. Thousands of people have tried to flee Afghanistan, with many crushed to death, as Afghans fear reprisals and a return to a strict rule under the Taliban, which retook the country last weekend after two decades. Army …

‘Abandonment of Afghanistan dangerous and unnecessary’, says Tony Blair
3 years, 4 months ago

‘Abandonment of Afghanistan dangerous and unnecessary’, says Tony Blair

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Tony Blair has criticised the decision of western forces to withdraw …

‘They seem to like hitting women’: Violence and desperation as Afghans try to flee country
3 years, 4 months ago

‘They seem to like hitting women’: Violence and desperation as Afghans try to flee country

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. By the end of the night there wasn’t one …

US evacuates its around 5,000 citizens from Afghanistan, says Taliban guaranteeing safe passage
3 years, 4 months ago

US evacuates its around 5,000 citizens from Afghanistan, says Taliban guaranteeing safe passage

India TV News  

Pentagon on Wednesday said that the Taliban are not interfering with evacuation operations by US troops and said the terror group is guaranteeing safe passage to the airport for American citizens. "Through the State Department, the Taliban are guaranteeing safe passage to the airport for American citizens, that is, US passport holders," Milley said. A few hours later, Deputy Secretary …

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