20,000 Afghans to settle in Britain as flights leave Kabul
UP TO to 5,000 refugees who have been forced to flee Afghanistan will be welcomed to the UK in the first year of the Afghan citizens’ resettlement scheme, it was announced last night.
In the long-term, up to 20,000 refugees will be resettled by the British government as part of the scheme.
The number is in addition to the 5,000 Afghans expected to move to the UK this year under the government’s relocations and assistance policy.
It comes as flights resumed at Kabul airport following scenes of chaos and desperation on Sunday, when hundreds of terrified refugees stormed the runways and several fell to their deaths from departing transporter planes.
Three RAF flights had left by late afternoon yesterday carrying some of the 6,000 British nationals and Afghan employees scheduled for evacuation by the UK government. More than 7,000 Allied troops have encircled the airport but they are surrounded by even larger numbers of Taliban fighters.
Vice Admiral Sir Ben Key, who is in charge of the evacuation effort, said his staff were negotiating with Taliban commanders ‘controlling the gates’ at the airport.
‘We really can’t afford to pause and wait,’ Sir Ben said. ‘Thus far they have seemed understanding of what we are trying to achieve.
‘Clearly there is a dynamic political situation across the city.’
Many Afghans are terrified of Taliban reprisals. More than 7,000 were employed by the British government during the first ten years of the occupation.
Just 2,000 have been evacuated so far but foreign secretary Dominic Raab has said he expected ‘tens of thousands’ to find refuge in Britain.