Britain is still evacuating 250 people a week from Afghanistan, the Armed Forces minister has revealed as he pledged to keep bringing them ‘as long as people who are eligible want to come’.
LBC was informed by James Heappey that the UK has managed to expel ‘around 2,800’ Afghans since Operation Pitting ended. This is the operation of removing eligible Afghans from the country following the 2021 Taliban overthrow.
Mr Heappey said the Ministry of Defence (MoD) was ‘steadily, quietly, getting on with it’, bringing Around 250 people are sent to Pakistan each week, mainly from the rest of the country.
The minister answered when asked how much longer this could continue.
Pictured: 265 passengers and their support crew aboard an evacuation flight from Kabul, Afghanistan on August 20, 2121.
LBC was informed by James Heappey that Britain has managed to evacuate ‘about 2800’ Afghans since Operation Pitting ended. This is the British evacuation of eligible Afghans after the 2021 Taliban offensive.
A400M A400M aircraft leaving Kabul, Afghanistan in August 2021.
His response was: “I’d love to fly loads of airplanes in Kabul and pick up 1000 people at once, but it’s impossible.”
“People must get out of their homes through many routes. None of these should I really reveal to your listeners.
“It might be that the most reassuring thing to say in answer to your question, is that these people aren’t forgotten. This isn’t an activity that’s gone out of sight.
According to the minister, he visited Uzbekistan as well as Qatar for ‘new routes’ and had been having lots of conversation with his friends from Pakistan.
He added: “Our total commitment to the people who served in Afghanistan alongside our Armed Forces is unequivocal and we will continue to send people here as long as there are people eligible.”
It was announced by the MoD that Armed Forces personnel participating in the August 2021 evacuation of Afghan civilians from Afghanistan will receive a medal for their contributions.
Operational Service Medal Afghanistan personnel will now be presented with a new clasp that says ‘Operation Pitting. This is to recognise their role in helping the British and Afghan citizens evacuated.
Personnel from the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force evacuated more than 15,000 persons during this effort.
After Taliban took over the country, approximately 600 soldiers deployed to Kabul Airport to offer food, water, as well as medical assistance.
The Royal Air Force flew the evacuation of Kabul’s refugees out to Kabul in what Defense Secretary Ben Wallace called ‘the largest British evacuation ever since the Second World War.
At 439, this flight was the first to set a record for carrying more people on an RAF C-17.
According to the Prime Minister, “I’m thrilled that Her Majesty has granted permission for a special Medal to be presented to all who were deployed to Kabul in order to recognize their bravery and perseverance in face of great adversity.”
Operation Pitting is a great achievement of both the UK Armed Services (and their civilian counterparts) in post-war times.
“The entire country should be proud of the tireless work they do to keep children, men and women safe. They are the best.
The Operational Service Medal Afghanistan will be given to personnel. It includes a clasp that reads ‘Operation Pitting.