Taliban take control
Taliban fighters, wielding American supplied weapons, equipment and uniforms, storm into Kabul’s international airport to inspect the equipment that was left behind after the US military completed their withdrawal from Afghanistan
THE Foreign Secretary is expected to be grilled by a committee of MPS today as the Taliban declared victory and independence for Afghanistan.
The militants took over Kabul airport yesterday following the departure of the last US troops.
Dominic Raab will appear before the Westminster Foreign Affairs Select Committee after he acknowledged there were still hundreds of British nationals left in the country.
Last night, US President Joe Biden gave an address in which he acknowledged that the Afghan military collapsed faster than expected ahead of the August 31 deadline.
He praised US forces, citing their “extraordinary success”. It was due to the “skill, bravery and selfless courage” of the military, diplomats and intelligence professionals.
He said they did their job “and did it well”, risking their lives “to serve others... not in a mission of war but a mission of mercy”.
The President said the US was ready when the Afghanistan Government “did not hold on as long as anyone expected”. He said the evacuation mission was designed under “severe stress and attack”.
He went on to say the August 31 withdrawal was not an “arbitrary deadline” but was to save lives.
If the US stayed, despite the previous administration promising to leave, then “all bets were off”. He added the choice he faced was between leaving, or the situation escalating.
Boris Johnson left Downing Street with his family on Sunday night as the UK withdrew from the country, although No 10 officials insisted he is not on holiday.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said he was continuing to work while in the west of England with his son and wife, and will return tomorrow.
The spokesman also reaffirmed Mr Johnson’s faith in Mr Raab, amid negative briefings by Whitehall insiders against him and reports that his position was under threat.
“The Prime Minister has full confidence in his Foreign Secretary,” the spokesman said.
Ahead of the committee appearance this afternoon, Labour’s shadow foreign secretary, Lisa Nandy, issued a list of 10 questions she said Mr Raab must answer.
Among them include what plans the Government has to evacuate people left behind in Afghanistan who are eligible to come to the UK, why Mr Raab remained on holiday in Crete while the Taliban took Kabul and what assessment has been made of the terror threat coming from Afghanistan.
She said: “This has been the biggest foreign policy failing in a generation. The Foreign Secretary has serious questions to answer when he appears before the Foreign Affairs Committee.
“The questions he must answer are about much more than the chaos of the last two weeks. The Foreign Secretary had 18 months to prepare but was missing in action.
“As a result, on his watch Britain has become weaker in the world and faces greater risks from terrorism. We had to send our troops into real danger and, despite their heroic actions, thousands of Afghans who supported us over two decades are still at serious risk and British citizens abandoned.”
She added that Mr Raab had to take responsibility for “a catalogue or errors and poor judgment” or resign from his role.
Meanwhile, the UK Government has launched what it described as “Operation Warm Welcome”, to help resettle Afghan refugees in Britain.
All Afghans who arrive under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) from today will be given immediate indefinite leave to remain, with the Government investing
£12 million to provide additional school places and £3m to support access to the NHS.
Anyone who has arrived already under ARAP will be able to apply for free to convert their temporary leave to indefinite.
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack has said he hopes as many Scottish councils as possible will be able to offer accommodation to resettled Afghans.
Mr Jack said: “We owe a huge debt to those who worked alongside us in Afghanistan, and it is right that we are offering them a new, secure life in the UK. The UK Government is funding an extensive resettlement programme, and I hope that as many Scottish local authorities as possible will come forward to offer accommodation.”
This has been the biggest foreign policy failing in a generation