After the two-week U.K. evacuation, military planes carrying British diplomats and troops from Kabul have landed at an U.K. base.
Laurie Bristow (ambassador to the United Kingdom in Afghanistan), was one of those who arrived at RAF Brize Norton northwest London on Sunday, just hours after the government declared that all British personnel had evacuated Kabul.
Britain claims it has evacuated more U.K. citizens than Afghans and Afghans within the last two weeks, but as many as 1,100 Afghans entitled to travel to the U.K. are still at risk.
Vice Adm. Ben Key was responsible for the British operation and stated: “We tried to our best.”
Boris Johnson, Prime Minister, praised the “colossal”, and said it was “a mission unlike any we’ve ever seen in our lifetimes.”
He is being criticized for failing to rescue all the Afghans who aided British forces in Afghanistan during the 20-year mission that began after 9/11.
Johnson admitted that Britain would not have wanted to leave this way, but said that “we must recognize that we came into the United States in defense and support U.S. military and did the overwhelming majority of the fighting.”
TIRANA (Albania) — Two more aircraft have brought Afghans fleeing Taliban attacks to Albania. This brings the total number of refugees to 457.
Sunday’s statement by the Foreign Ministry stated that two planes arrived at dawn carrying 154 and 28 Afghans. They will be housed on a campus of students in Tirana while some others are being sent to hotels.
Albania’s goal is to provide shelter for all evacuees in hotels, not camps, to restore their sense of normalcy.
Albania was one of the first countries to offer housing for Afghans who had worked with NATO and U.S forces, and other people fearing vengeance after the Taliban takeover.
Albanian Afghans come from many backgrounds including activists, university staff, and children.
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MADRID — A third flight of American forces to Spain arrived at the Rota military bases, according to the U.S. Embassy.
Early Sunday, 220 Afghan evacuees boarded the flight.
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KABUL (Afghanistan) — The U.S. State Department urges all Americans living near Kabul’s airport in Afghanistan to evacuate immediately due to a credible threat.
Early Sunday morning, the warning stated that U.S. citizens should not travel to the airport. It also advised them to avoid all airport gates. It specifically mentioned the South (Airport Circle), gate of the new Ministry of the Interior and the gate next to the Panjshir Petrol station, on the northwest side of the Airport.
At least 169 Afghans were killed in a suicide bombing that occurred at the airport on Thursday. 13 U.S. military personnel were also killed.
