Afghanistan: Kabul departs last designated evacuation flight to UK at night – Defense sources | UK news

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Sky News understands that the last dedicated evacuation flight back to the UK left Kabul overnight.

Defense sources said the remaining flights over the weekend would bring home British forces as well as the last small numbers of Afghan evacuees who have permission to fly.

The UK’s ambassador to Kabul, Laurie Bristow, said in a video posted on social media that his team had been “working until the last minute”.

He added that nearly 15,000 people have been airlifted to safety, tweeting that “our commitment to the people of Afghanistan will continue.”

Nearly 15,000 British nationals, Afghan staff and others at risk have been evacuated from Kabul since Operation Pitting began – and our commitment to the people of Afghanistan will remain unwavering. pic.twitter.com/zUQ52ps1cE

– Laurie Bristow (@laurie_bristow) August 28, 2021

Earlier, the Chief of Defense Staff, General Sir Nick Carter, said the final stages of withdrawal and evacuation represented the “most difficult” of any stage of the war.

He added: “There has to be a constantly decreasing rear defense protecting your back while you evacuate yourselves, and of course there comes a point where it’s actually the last plane to leave.

“There are all kinds of things that can go wrong” when the last planes leave, such as “the threat of terrorism,” he said.

“You are at your weakest at the point where your last plane is waiting to lift.”

Sir Nick warned that Britain was “not out of trouble yet”, adding: “The process will take a little longer. But it was a huge project.”

Troops operate in the face of a “very difficult threat” while also focusing on “humanitarian action” where soldiers carry “a weapon in one hand, a child in the other”.

“It was very difficult,” said Sir Nick.

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“We’re not out of the woods yet.”

“The plain truth is we always got that in our minds.

“For the forces on the ground, they must be on constant alert and constantly thinking about how to refute the threat.

“I think we should hold our breath and think hard about that last plane or several last planes, and think about the challenge it will be for these very brave people trying to make their departure as safe and orderly as possible.”

Sir Nick, who spent nearly three years in Afghanistan, described his regret that the 20-year mission there ended with the Taliban taking over and a serious terrorist threat.

“We didn’t wish it would end,” he said of the withdrawal, “that’s absolutely true.”

He added: “I think we’ve done an extraordinary job of evacuating as many people as possible but I’m afraid it’s too heartbreaking and we can’t get everyone out.

“If they can get out, they will always be welcome, but the horrific truth of life is that tough decisions have to be made.”

He told how sad it was that Britain was not able to save all Afghans who had the right to travel to the UK, adding: “Not a day goes by without tears in my eyes.”

US forces, with the largest presence by far, will be the last to leave before President Joe Biden’s Tuesday deadline.

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