PM: Taliban must ensure safety of people who want to leave Afghanistan after August 31

24 August 2021, 17:09 | Updated: 24 August 2021, 18:25

Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks following the G7 meeting on Afghanistan

Boris Johnson today said he was "confident" more people can be evacuated from Afghanistan but says the Taliban must guarantee safe passage for those who want to leave beyond August 31.

The Prime Minister made the remarks following G7 talks with Joe Biden, where it was confirmed the deadline by which US troops will leave Afghanistan will not be extended beyond August 31.

The Prime Minister was expected to press President Biden to keep his forces on the ground past August 31, as they are providing security at Kabul airport to allow people to flee the country.

But following the emergency meeting of G7 leaders, chaired by the PM on Tuesday afternoon, Mr Biden said the deadline remained in place.

Mr Johnson said G7 leaders have however agreed "a roadmap" for how to "engage with the Taliban".

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The PM said the number one condition they are insisting on is safe passage beyond August 31 for those who want to leave the country.

He said: "We will go on right up until the last moment that we can. But you have heard what the President of the United States has had to say, you have heard what the Taliban have said.

"I think you have got to understand the context in which we're doing this, we're confident we can get thousands more out.

"But the situation at the airport is not getting any better, there are public order issues, it's harrowing scenes for those who are trying to get out, and it's tough for our military as well."

Lisa Nandy MP, Labour’s Shadow Foreign Secretary, said this is a "dark moment for the UK Government and for Afghans".

She said: "The Prime Minister has failed to persuade President Biden to agree to extend evacuation efforts and the painful reality is that people will be left behind - that’s appalling and unconscionable."

No change to withdrawal date from Afghanistan says US

In a joint statement released by Downing Street, G7 Leaders said they "expressed grave concern" about the situation in Afghanistan.

They called for "calm and restraint" to ensure the safety and security of vulnerable Afghan and international citizens, and the prevention of a humanitarian crisis.

"We call for adherence to obligations under international human rights law, including the rights of women, girls, and minority groups, and that international humanitarian law is upheld in all circumstances," they said.

"We honour the significant sacrifices made by the Afghan people, people of our own countries, and countless others, who have worked toward a more peaceful, just and secure future for Afghanistan.

"Afghanistan must never again become a safe haven for terrorism, nor a source of terrorist attacks on others."

'We asked Afghans to fight as we ran in the opposite direction'

They called on all parties in Afghanistan to work in "good faith to establish an inclusive and representative government", including with the meaningful participation of women and minority groups.

The UK has evacuated more than 9,000 people from Afghanistan as part of the rescue mission which began less than two weeks ago.

This included people departing the Afghan capital in nine military flights over a 24-hour period, with 57 flights leaving the country in total.

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Embassy staff, British nationals, those eligible under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap) programme and a number of nationals from partner nations were included in the evacuation figure.

So far, 5,171 of the total have made claims under Arap.

More than 1,000 UK armed forces personnel have been deployed in Kabul.

The MoD said the evacuation process will run as long as the security situation allows, in coordination with the US.

No firm date has yet been set for the end of evacuation flights, it added.

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The Mod said the Armed Forces have continued to fly in and distribute aid to support UK and Afghan nationals going through the evacuation process, including providing water, baby wipes and pre-made baby milk, sanitary packs, blankets and colouring books.

On Monday, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the Kabul evacuation effort is "down to hours now, not weeks" as he conceded Britain's involvement will end when the US leaves Afghanistan.

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Armed forces minister James Heappey said on Monday that approximately 1,800 UK nationals and more than 2,200 Afghans who helped British forces were the "focus" of the Government's evacuation efforts from Afghanistan.

He added that the numbers of people that the UK wanted to evacuate from "Afghan civil society" had "grown significantly" in recent weeks, in an effort to resettle those who may face recrimination from the Taliban.

But ministers also warned the UK will not be able to get out everyone it hopes to.