Former Royal Navy ‘plans to storm Kabul airport’ as frustration grows over evacuation efforts

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A former British marine seeking to flee Afghanistan with dozens of others says he plans to storm Kabul airport to board a flight home, as it remains inaccessible via normal roads.

Paul “Ben” Farthing, founder of the animal rescue charity Nowzad, said staff at his shelter in Kabul would have to risk their lives to get to the UK government’s evacuation.

Mr Farthing said he was trying to leave the country with 71 Nawzad employees and their families, including children and young veterinary staff.

He told BBC Radio 4 News that the crisis at Hamid Karzai International Airport was getting worse, days after reports of people taking strict measures to enter the airport, or at least the safe arrival of their children. People now have to pass through obstructive Taliban checkpoints to reach the airport.

“I actually got an email this morning,” Farthing said. “This is only for me, not my staff,” he said: “We have a return flight for you, please get to the airport.”

“How do you want me to get to the airport? I’m past the anger… I am completely numbed by the incompetence of this process.”

Asked by host Justin Webb if he and his staff were “scared,” Farthing said they didn’t have time to be afraid.

“The second you start to get scared, you stop thinking things right,” he said.

We are literally trying to plan how to break into Kabul airport. Can you believe I tell you that? “

The former Marine said he was “disgusted” by the international withdrawal effort, and that “someone somewhere needed to take control.”

“I have no idea what our politicians are thinking, what American politicians are thinking,” he said.

He was particularly critical of the US decision to close Bagram Air Base – the US military center in Afghanistan – which he said could have provided two additional withdrawal points and eased the rush on Kabul airport.

Several government flights daily have transported British and Afghan nationals from Kabul to the UK since the evacuations began. Laurie Bristow, the British ambassador to Afghanistan, said the goal was to help 1,000 people out every day.

Farthing, who served in Helmand province in 2006, earlier this week called on the British government to grant permission for his Afghan staff to move to the UK.

He said the staff were “terrified” and had not received any assurances “that they would be safe if they stayed” in Afghanistan. He said his Afghan staff, including young female veterinarians, were more vulnerable than the Taliban.

Maybe I’m wrong, maybe within a year we find out that the Taliban have changed. What I don’t want is here with my cast to know they haven’t changed. “

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