World

Britain 'not going back' to Afghanistan

Britain has relocated its embassy to Kabul airport from the city

Reuters August 16, 2021

British Forces from 16 Air Assault Brigade arrive in Kabul, Afghanistan, to provide support to British nationals leaving the country, as part of Operation PITTING after Taliban insurgents took control of the presidential palace in Kabul, August 15, 2021. Reuters

LONDON,:

The Taliban are in control of Afghanistan and British and NATO forces will not be returning to fight the group, Britain's defence minister said on Monday.

"I acknowledge that the Taliban are in control of the country," Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told Sky News. "I mean, you don't have to be a political scientist to spot that's where we're at."

Asked if Britain and NATO would return to Afghanistan, Wallace said: "That's not on the cards... we're not going to go back"

Wallace said the military side of Kabul airport was secure and that Britain was doing everything it could to evacuate British citizens and Afghans with links to Britain.

READ No plans to shut down embassy in Kabul yet: FO

"Our target is ... about 1200 to 1500 exit a day in the capacity of our aeroplanes, and we'll keep that flow," he said.

Britain has relocated its embassy to Kabul airport from the city. Asked what he would feel to see the Taliban flag flying over the former British embassy building in Kabul, Wallace said:

"Symbolically, it's not what any of us wanted."

Wallace said it was not yet the right time to decide on whether to recognise the Taliban as the Afghan government.

"I think there is a lot of more to come before those decisions are made," he said. "The proof of the pudding will be obviously in their actions rather than their rhetoric."

COMMENTS (2)

SAIFULLAH Rasa | 3 years ago | Reply Hello good morning I m very sorry to bother you but I had to ask you for help. I m from Afghanistan. This is a war. Al-Qaeda and the Taliban have taken over everywhere. And we can not continue living here. My brother named Abdullah had worked with British forces. He served them for 3 years. One day he was allowed to go to Kabul because of his passport but unfortunately the Taliban took my brother out of the car and with We took him and a few days later we heard the news of his death. Before this incident the Taliban had also detained my brother. Finally they took him away from us. There are Taliban everywhere. We can not leave our homes. I want help from Britain. Please help.

Mustafa | 3 years ago | Reply No more interference in other countries matter

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