Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has accused the Foreign Office of evacuating diplomats from Kabul while leaving Ministry of Defence staff to handle the fallout of the Taliban takeover, in a cabinet row over the UK’s response to the crisis.
According to sources, Wallace told colleagues he believed there would be “a reckoning” for the Foreign Office, complaining that diplomats had been “on the first plane out”. MoD officials, including soldiers and civil servants, were left processing resettlement claims from up to 4,000 Afghans eligible for help, with chaotic scenes at Kabul airport.
Wallace expressed frustration at “18-year-old squaddies having to process visa applications of incredible complexity at speed”. His criticism came as Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab faced scrutiny for being on holiday as the crisis unfolded; both Raab and Prime Minister Boris Johnson cut short breaks over the weekend.
In his first public appearance since the crisis began, Raab said “everyone was caught by surprise by the pace and scale of the Taliban takeover”. He confirmed that about 150 British nationals would arrive in the UK soon, with further arrivals expected. The UK ambassador to Afghanistan, Sir Laurie Bristow, initially due to be evacuated, stayed at Kabul airport to sign visa applications.
The UK announced it would send another 300 armed forces personnel to help safeguard the airport and process visas, bringing the total to 900. Johnson said he hoped to convene a virtual G7 meeting to discuss the crisis, urging a unified international approach to prevent a humanitarian and refugee disaster.
