UK expresses ‘regret’ leaving people behind in Afghanistan, shuts down evacuations

The United Kingdom announced Friday it is shutting down its Afghan evacuations, with some would-be refugees having to be left behind in the process.

Defense minister Ben Wallace announced only the individuals already inside the Kabul airport will be flown out, Reuters reported.

Troops are beginning the final stage of leaving the country and will be gone “in a few days.”

“It is with deep regret that not everyone has been able to be evacuated during this process,” Wallace said.

Wallace told LBC radio there are 800 to 1,100 Afghan allies who had been eligible to leave the country who did not make it, and 100 to 150 British nationals who were still in the country, with some choosing to stay.

Wallace said the British evacuated more than 13,700 Afghan allies and British nationals, according to Reuters. 

The shutting down of U.K. operations comes a day after an attack on the Kabul airport that killed dozens of people, including 13 U.S. service members.

“The threat is obviously going to grow the closer we get to leaving,” Wallace told Sky News. “The narrative is always going to be, as we leave, certain groups such as ISIS will want to stake a claim that they have driven out the U.S. or the U.K.”

Wallace says the attack did not change the schedule for British troops, and they are leaving on time. 

Following the ISIS strike, President Biden said the U.S. is sticking to its timetable to finish its own evacuations by Tuesday.