The last British flight evacuating civilians from Afghanistan has left Kabul, bringing to an end an operation that has airlifted almost 15,000 Afghan and British citizens.
The mass airlift operation has been underway since the Taliban took control of the capital, with a deadline of 31 August in place for foreign troops to leave the country.
Speaking about wrapping up the operation, the head of the armed forces, Gen Sir Nick Carter, said it was "heartbreaking" they had not been able to rescue everybody. He said hundreds of Afghans eligible to come to the UK remained in Afghanistan.
The British ambassador to Afghanistan, Sir Laurie Bristow, who remained at Kabul airport, tweeted that nearly 15,000 people had been evacuated but it was "time to close this phase of the operation now".
"But we haven't forgotten the people who still need to leave. We'll continue to do everything we can to help them," he added.
Those already evacuated include British nationals, as well as almost 8,000 Afghans eligible under the UK's relocation scheme for those who worked for the UK government and other vulnerable individuals. As of Friday, the government said between 800 and 1,100 eligible Afghans and 100 to 150 Britons had not been evacuated.
The mass airlift operation has been underway since the Taliban took control of the capital, with a deadline of 31 August in place for foreign troops to leave the country.
Speaking about wrapping up the operation, the head of the armed forces, Gen Sir Nick Carter, said it was "heartbreaking" they had not been able to rescue everybody. He said hundreds of Afghans eligible to come to the UK remained in Afghanistan.
The British ambassador to Afghanistan, Sir Laurie Bristow, who remained at Kabul airport, tweeted that nearly 15,000 people had been evacuated but it was "time to close this phase of the operation now".
"But we haven't forgotten the people who still need to leave. We'll continue to do everything we can to help them," he added.
Those already evacuated include British nationals, as well as almost 8,000 Afghans eligible under the UK's relocation scheme for those who worked for the UK government and other vulnerable individuals. As of Friday, the government said between 800 and 1,100 eligible Afghans and 100 to 150 Britons had not been evacuated.
