London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Not the time to recognise Taliban as rulers of Afghanistan, UK defence secretary says, bracing for ‘significant’ migrant flows

Not the time to recognise Taliban as rulers of Afghanistan, UK defence secretary says, bracing for ‘significant’ migrant flows

UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said London is yet to decide on whether to recognise Taliban militants as legitimate rulers of Afghanistan, while the government is focused on evacuations and is braced for a rise in migration. 

Wallace was asked by Sky News’ Kay Burley if he acknowledges that the Taliban has won the war.

“I don’t know if that’s a win. I acknowledge that the Taliban are in control of the country,” the secretary said. “I mean, you don’t have to be a political scientist to spot that’s where we’re at.”

The official said it was not yet the time to decide whether London should recognise the Taliban as the legitimate Afghan government. “I think there is a lot more to come before those decisions are made,” Wallace explained. “The proof of the pudding will be obvious in their actions rather than their rhetoric.”

Wallace said that the UK must work to “protect our people” on the ground amid the chaotic evacuations from Kabul, which was effectively overrun by the militants on Sunday. UK authorities evacuated 370 British nationals and Afghan support staff over the weekend, Wallace said, adding that 782 more Afghans will be airlifted within the next 24 to 36 hours.


The scenes of jubilant Taliban fighters entering the Afghan capital were reminiscent of when militants from Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) captured large swathes of Iraq and Syria in 2014. The takeover by IS triggered a massive wave of refugees from the Middle East to Turkey and Europe.

“I suspect we will see significant migrant flows around the world,” Wallace told Sky News.

“The threat for our stability from migrant flows, organised crime, smuggling, terrorism is very, very important,” he said, declining to specify how many migrants the UK should expect.


The Taliban, which was toppled during a US-led invasion in 2001, captured 26 out of Afghanistan’s 34 provincial capitals in just 10 days before reaching Kabul.

President Ashraf Ghani and several other high-ranking officials from the UN-backed government fled the country, as the militants declared victory in the war with Western forces that spanned nearly two decades.

The Taliban offensive intensified after President Joe Biden announced that US troops would leave the country by August 31.

The US initially invaded Afghanistan shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks with the goal of fighting Al-Qaeda and other jihadist groups. The Taliban was quickly ejected from major cities, but the fighting has never stopped despite the presence of US soldiers and a peace deal signed in February 2020.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×