London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 26, 2025

Afghanistan: Evacuation will continue despite Kabul attack, says PM

Afghanistan: Evacuation will continue despite Kabul attack, says PM

The UK will continue its operation to evacuate people from Afghanistan despite an attack at the capital's airport, says Boris Johnson.

Speaking after an emergency meeting in No 10, he pledged the UK "will keep going to the last moment."

The PM called the blasts - reportedly carried out by suicide bombers - "barbaric" and "despicable".

Two explosions hit Kabul airport on Thursday, killing more than 60 people - among them 13 US military personnel.

At least 140 people were also wounded in the attack, which the so-called Islamic State group has claimed it was behind.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said there had been "no reported UK military or UK government casualties".

Speaking on Thursday, President Joe Biden vowed to carry on with the evacuation. He said the US would "not forgive" and "not forget" the attack, telling the perpetrators: "We will hunt you down and make you pay."

Mr Johnson said the UK airlift would continue "flat out" but that it was nearing its conclusion.

Figures released by the MoD on Thursday night showed 13,146 individuals had been flown out so far.

Analysis

By Damian Grammaticas, BBC political correspondent

In the aftermath of the suicide bombings at the airport, the pace of the emergency airlift from Afghanistan has slowed but it has not halted.

The BBC understands that people who'd already been allowed inside the airport perimeter have continued to be processed, to be boarded on to departing planes.

But sources said the numbers arriving to be processed had decreased considerably as the Taliban were turning back many Afghans, particularly those who did not hold foreign passports or visas.

Boris Johnson said the UK was "coming towards the very end" of its operation and suggested "the overwhelming majority of those eligible" had now been flown out.

But there remain many clamouring not to be left behind, including interpreters who had worked for the British military, security guards from the UK embassy, Afghan soldiers trained by British forces, those who worked with international organisations and academics.

Thursday's twin blasts took place outside the Abbey Gate - where US and British forces have been stationed to help with evacuations - and at a nearby hotel, following warnings there could be terrorist incidents in the area.

After chairing an emergency Cobra meeting on the situation, the PM told reporters: "I want to stress that this threat of a terrorist attack is one of the constraints that we've been operating under... in the big extraction that's been going on, and we've been ready for it, we've been prepared for it.

"And I want to stress that we're going to continue with that operation - and we're now coming towards the end of it, to the very end of it, in any event.

"But, clearly, what this attack shows is the importance of continuing that work in as fast and as efficient manner as possible in the hours that remain to us, and that's what we're going to do."

The total number of casualties remains unconfirmed

Mr Johnson said the Foreign Office, Home Office and Border Force teams were "going to work flat out" to get people through "as fast as they can".

He added: "We're going to keep going up until the last moment."

The US has set a deadline of 31 August for the withdrawal of its troops, with President Biden rejecting calls from Mr Johnson and other allies for an extension.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab offered condolences to the families of the civilians who had been killed or injured, and said the US troops who had been killed and harmed had "paid the ultimate sacrifice while helping others reach safety".

"The UK and US remain resolute in our mission to get as many people out as possible. It is testament to the remarkable courage of our personnel that they continue to do so while under fire," he said.

'Owe a debt'


A statement from the MoD said: "Our primary concern remains the safety of our personnel, British citizens and the citizens of Afghanistan. We are in close contact with our US and other NATO allies at an operational level on the immediate response to this incident."

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called the attack "devastating", and said his thoughts were with "all those killed and wounded, serving personnel supporting the evacuations and all those desperately trying to leave".

He added: "The bravery of the troops at the airport will always outweigh the cowardice of those who wish to harm us."

Kabul airport is currently being defended and run by the US, which has 5,800 troops on the ground - with the help of more than 1,000 UK troops.

Armed Forces minister James Heappey declined to give a date for the last UK evacuation flights, but said it was likely that UK and other foreign troops would have to leave before the last American airlifts.

However, during a visit to the British military's Permanent Joint Headquarters in north London, where he met troops involved in evacuation efforts, Mr Johnson insisted the US deadline would not mark the end of the UK's efforts to help people wishing to flee the Taliban-controlled country.

He added that the current airlifts were just the "first phase".

"Even beyond the US deadline of 31 of this month, we hope to be able to continue to say to people, well you can come out," he said.

Crowds of people are waiting outside Kabul airport



Johnson: "We always knew this was a moment where there were going to be particular vulnerabilities to terrorism"


Earlier, Boris Johnson said the UK had rescued the "overwhelming majority" of people to whom it owes a debt



Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
×