Reuters :
Most British soldiers have been pulled out of Afghanistan, ending Britain’s official role in a two-decades long conflict even as the Taliban are gaining ground and amid fears the departure of foreign soldiers could lead to civil war.
“All British troops assigned to NATO’s mission in Afghanistan are now returning home,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson told parliament, praising what British forces had achieved while at the same time acknowledging the “perils” facing Afghanistan.
“For obvious reasons, I will not disclose the timetable of our departure, though I can tell the house (parliament) that most of our personnel have already left,” Johnson said.
British forces were first deployed to Afghanistan in 2001 following the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States and played a major role in combat operations until 2014. A total of 457 British soldiers were killed in the country. NATO, of which Britain is a member, said in April that its troops would begin withdrawing in co-ordination with a decision by President Joe Biden to pull U.S. troops out by Sept. 11. read more Violence has raged throughout Afghanistan in the weeks since then.
The United States last week abandoned Bagram air base, the longtime staging ground for U.S. military operations in the country, effectively ending America’s longest war. The Pentagon says the withdrawal of U.S. forces is 90% complete.
Johnson said he did not underestimate the challenges facing Afghanistan, adding the government would continue to provide development assistance.
“I hope no one will leap to the false conclusion that the withdrawal of our forces somehow means the end of Britain’s commitment to Afghanistan, we are not about to turn away, nor are we under any illusions about the perils of today’s situation and what might lie ahead,” Johnson said.
