‘Reckoning’ over UK Foreign Office’s handling of Afghanistan: UK Defence SecretaryÌý
‘Reckoning’ over UK Foreign Office’s handling of Afghanistan: UK Defence SecretaryÌý
UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace reportedly said that 'a reckoning' will take place over UK Foreign Office management of chaotic attempts to evacuate British nationals from Afghanistan.
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UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said '18-year-old squaddies' were being left to deal with visa applications [Getty]
has scorned theÌýForeign Office for its handling of the crisis in Afghanistan, following the Taliban's takeoverÌýand subsequent exodus from, according to reports.
Wallace accused the Foreign Office of Ìýin Afghanistan "on the first plane out", leaving ministry of defence staff, soldiers,Ìýand civil servants left to deal with the surge of visa applications coming from British and .Ìý
The defence secretary -Ìýa former British Army officer -Ìýreportedly said that "18-year-old squaddies" were having to deal with the flood of "applications of incredible complexity", with up to 4,000 claims for resettlement made in a single day.Ìý
He told colleagues that there would be "a reckoning" for the UK government department, according to a Monday report inÌýThe Guardian.Ìý
Ìýhad faced huge criticism for being onÌýholiday last week when the Taliban seized a series of provincial capitals in Afghanistan.
He said on Monday: "We are concentrated on the evacuation effort for British nationals and those Afghan nationals who have served the United Kingdom so loyalty."Ìý
that 150 British nationals arrived in the UK on Monday, and a further 350 British and Afghan nationals would be flown out in the coming days.ÌýÌý
TheÌýforeign secretary added that the UK is using itsto "make it very clear to the Taliban that we will hold them to account" when it comes to international security and women's rights.Ìý This comes after Raab said the takeover was "not what the UK wanted" andÌýhe had been surprised at the "scale and pace" of the Taliban's advance.ÌýÌý
thatÌýthe Taliban's seizing power in Afghanistan is a "failure of the international community".Ìý
Britain withdrew the majority of its 750 remaining troops in Afghanistan last month, asÌýUS troops and other NATO forces left the country.Ìý
The Taliban stormed across the country capturing rural areas, key border posts, then provincial capitals as foreign military forces left and Afghan security forces fragmented.
Tens of thousands of Afghans have been displaced because of the escalating violence as people fear the Taliban will penalise those who worked with foreignÌýallies and the US-backed government. AÌýcrackdown on freedom of expressionÌýand women’s rights isÌýalso prompting people to flee.Ìý
The Taliban have sought in recent years to present themselves as a more moderate force and vowÌýthey won't exact revenge, but many Afghans are sceptical of those promises.
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