Defence Secretary offers hope on Kabul airlift for ex-Royal Marine's animals and staff

25 August 2021, 08:55

Ben Wallace has confirmed that Pen Farthing will be able to leave Afghanistan in the coming days.
Ben Wallace has confirmed that Pen Farthing will be able to leave Afghanistan in the coming days. Picture: Alamy

By Emma Soteriou

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has given hope to former Royal Marine Paul Farthing that his animals and staff could be airlifted from Kabul after days of campaigning.

It comes after Mr Farthing - known as Pen - fought to get his staff and their families as well as 140 dogs and 60 cats evacuated from the country in a plan he dubbed 'Operation Ark'.

In a series of tweets early on Wednesday, Mr Wallace said that if Mr Farthing arrived at the airport with his staff and animals officials would seek to facilitate their departure aboard a chartered aircraft.

He added that if the charity founder chose not to bring the animals they could board an RAF flight, as all had been granted leave outside the immigration rules to fly to the UK.

Read more: 'That's bollocks': Defence Secretary dismisses claims ex-Marine has been 'abandoned'

"Now that Pen Farthing's staff have been cleared to come forward under LOTR I have authorised MOD to facilitate their processing alongside all other eligible personnel at (Kabul airport)," Mr Wallace tweeted.

"At that stage, if he arrives with his animals we will seek a slot for his plane.

"If he does not have his animals with him he and his staff can board an RAF flight.

"I have been consistent all along, ensuring those most at risk are processed first and that the limiting factor has been flow THROUGH to airside NOT airplane capacity.

"No one has the right in this humanitarian crisis to jump the queue."

Read more: Defence Secretary's stark warning on ISIS in Afghanistan

Defence Secretary dismisses claims made by former Royal marine

On Monday, Mr Farthing announced that all of his 68 members of staff and their dependants had been able to get visas from the UK Government, but there had been less success with his animals.

The Defence Secretary had warned that the government was 'prioritising people over pets' in RAF flights out of Kabul, suggesting Mr Farthing leave his animals behind.

However, supporters of Mr Farthing's charity - Nowzad animal shelter - announced on Tuesday that a privately chartered Airbus A330 - funded by donations - was instead on standby to rescue the group's workers and animals.

Mr Wallace insisted that the major problem had been getting people safely into and through the airport, arguing that the chartered plane would merely "block the airfield" and "sit there empty" as the processing of the thousands of people trying to leave Kabul would be prioritised over the airlifting of animals.

Read more: Ben Wallace: Taliban could start mortaring Kabul Airport if forces stay past deadline

Defence Secretary: The Taliban could start mortaring Kabul airport

It comes after Mr Wallace told LBC's Nick Ferrari that the claims made by Mr Farthing were "bollocks".

"That's bollocks, Nick!" he said, arguing that Mr Farthing had been contacted and offered a flight out of Kabul.

"I strongly advise him to come to the airport and take a route out."

In response, Mr Farthing told LBC that the Defence Secretary needed to "get his facts straight".

He explained that he only received an email about getting evacuated the previous day and, at the time, had not had any confirmation for his staff.

Read more: Defence Minister warns of 'very real security threat' from Islamic State at Kabul airport

Defence Secretary's stark warning on Islamic State in Afghanistan

Mr Farthing previously suggested the animals be transported in his aircraft's hold and that once his staff were accommodated any spare seats on the plane could be filled by other people cleared for passage by UK authorities, with the flight able to take 250 passengers in total.

Speaking to LBC, he confirmed that he had secured the flight and was happy to "sit on the airfield for a few days" until his plane was able to take off with the animals in the cargo hold.

"The cargo hold is empty - we put the dogs and cats in there!! And 250 people above in the cabin!" Mr Farthing tweeted.

Read more: 'Some people won't get back' Defence Secretary chokes up over Afghanistan

Defence Secretary: No one wants this to turn into a shooting war

Earlier, a Nowzad supporter in the UK, veterinary surgeon Dr Iain McGill, had said people were ready to take in the animals once brought to Britain.

"Pen has got transport for all the staff and animals and himself safely to the airport," Dr McGill told the PA news agency.

"In the airport they can wait for a few days until the plane arrives, they just need to get safe. Pen doesn't have that long a window because of the military operation."

Dr McGill said that after the animals and the charity's staff, the remaining 130 seats on the plane would be filled with at-risk Afghans.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Meghan

Meghan Markle could face 'legal action' from Spanish town as her new luxury brand logo faces resemblance to coat of arms

The father of murdered schoolgirl Sara Sharif is reportedly being protected by a 'Muslim gang'

Sara Sharif's father protected by 'Muslim gang' in jail after being attacked with jagged tuna lid

Zhenhao Zou is accused of raping three women in London and 7 in China, whilst they were unconscious

PhD student 'discussed rape role-play' with alleged victim, trial hears

Exclusive
Senior Tories including Suella Braverman and Michael Gove have criticised the judge's comments

Senior Tories blast 'out of touch' judge for 'ludicrous attack' on Starmer’s migrant remarks

Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Ariel and Kfir, died in an airstrike, Hamas said

Bodies of youngest Israeli hostage Kfir Bibas and his brother and mother to be handed over as family ‘in turmoil’

Lisa Smith, 43, was with a female friend when she was killed outside the Three Horseshoes pub in Knockholt, Kent

Man suspected of fatally shooting wife outside pub on Valentine's Day rang friend and said 'she's dead'

Carry On legend Julian Holloway dies aged 80

Carry On legend Julian Holloway dies aged 80 after 'brief illness' as tributes pour in

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned 'any appearance by armed forces under some other flag' in Ukraine would be 'completely unacceptable', in a dig at a peace plan floated by Keir Starmer.

Keir Starmer’s Ukraine peacekeeping plan ‘completely unacceptable’, Russia tells US in Saudi Arabia talks

Rita Lambourne, 58, was “fatally wounded” at her home in Bayencourt South, Bexhill

Man charged with axe murder of woman in own home

Lydia Mugambe is accused of taking 'advantage of her status'

UN judge ‘trafficked woman to UK to be her slave'

Anonymous posters have appeared in Hampstead Heath, a park in north London, calling for gay men to stop using the park for sex.

'Take back Hampstead Heath', dog walkers urged as posters appear calling for men to stop using park for sex

Gavin Nicholls was tackled to the ground by a plain-clothed officer outside the Co-op in Barnet

Moment serial shoplifter is tackled off e-scooter by police as he flees store in north London

The plane, which was carrying 80 people, slid down onto the icy runway at Toronto Pearson International Airport before bursting into flames

Horrifying video shows moment Delta plane crashes on tarmac and bursts into flames at Toronto airport

Healey's comments came following Russia-US Peake talks in Saudi Arabia.

UK facing 'new era of threat' from Russia, Defence Secretary says as he unveils ‘biggest military shake up in 50 years’

Passengers escape Flipped over Delta plane after it crashed while landing in Toronto

'We were hanging upside down like bats': Survivors reveal fear and chaos inside flipped over Delta plane

England's top judge slams Starmer and Badenoch over Gaza family immigration comments

'Judges aren't free from criticism': Backlash after England's top judge attacks Starmer's migrant remarks