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Britain fears US forces will pull out of Kabul International Airport within days, threatening to shut it down and raising concerns over the emergency airlift of thousands from Afghanistan.
Whitehall and security sources said they could not guarantee how long the United States would keep its contingent of 6,000 troops on the ground and warned that the United Kingdom could not continue with the rescue without their presence. They also said Britain was not engaging directly with the Taliban on security or other issues after the militant group took over the Afghan capital.
The Guardian has learned that some members of the government believe, however, that the British ministers and military are turning to the direct treatment of the Taliban and the legitimization of their role – a position which would anger those who think they have not. exchange.
General Sir Nick Carter, chief of the British armed forces, said on Wednesday that he believed the Taliban wanted an “inclusive Afghanistan” and described them as “country boys” who had “honor at the heart of this. that they do “. Asked Sky News about the Taliban’s crackdown on women, Carter said, “I think they have changed and I recognize that Afghanistan has evolved and the fundamental role women have played in it.
Boris Johnson also hinted at the possibility of recognizing the Taliban, potentially in conjunction with other countries, telling MPs: “We will judge this regime by the choices it makes and its actions rather than its words. “.
A source from Whitehall said the uncertainty over the Taliban’s actions and the US position meant the UK wanted to complete its evacuation as quickly as possible, saying: “There is a realistic view that we just want to go as quickly as possible. “
Kabul airport was the scene of chaos this week, but has since been secured by the United States ahead of the August 31 evacuation deadline. British attempts to reassure the United States on this timeline have failed, a source said, although on Tuesday U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan tweeted that the country would hold the airport “to bring out all Americans in Afghanistan “.
A total of 700 Britons, Afghans and others were flown out of Kabul on Tuesday, official figures show, bringing the total to more than 1,150 out of 6,000, half of whom are Britons and binationals and the rest Afghans eligible to settle in the UK because they have already helped the British. Of the 1,150, 300 are British.
Carter said he expected seven planes to fly to Kabul, allowing another 1,000 people to leave on Wednesday. “The situation has stabilized since the weekend but it remains precarious,” he said.
The operation of the airport also depends on the Taliban, who now control its surroundings. Military experts say it’s easy to shut down an airport by firing mortars or shells at the runway.
A particular problem is the difficulty for eligible people to get to the airport. Some Britons have been advised to declare at Taliban checkpoints that they wish to “go to the airport and leave the country”, which could put them at risk of reprisals.
A security source said the UK had to rely on “uncomfortable middlemen” in its dealings with the Taliban, who have a separate deal with the US to allow it to conduct its retreat. Insiders also acknowledge that the UK has limited intelligence on what is going on outside Kabul.
Carter’s interview with Sky News, which followed a Taliban press conference on Tuesday, drew a furious reaction among lawmakers. Conservative MP Nusrat Ghani told the Guardian: “Not a single Afghan woman has expressed this naive optimism about the Taliban. They haven’t changed, women are hiding in their homes for fear of having been teachers and lawyers, and just yesterday a woman was killed in Afghanistan for not covering her hair.
Caroline Nokes, Conservative Chair of the Equalities Committee, said: “I prefer to judge them by their actions rather than their words. Look at the photos of the streets of Kabul, women have disappeared, hid themselves, especially those who have any leadership role. Mayors, activists, journalists, judges. The women we have encouraged to intervene, to build civil society in Afghanistan, are those most at risk of reprisals. “
Labor MP Stella Creasy said: ‘Anyone who thinks the Taliban’s commitments to women’s rights are enough – as if it were equality to be able to leave home alone – must ask themselves if they would be happy to live under such restrictions and to feel an equal citizen. “
Asked about Carter’s position, Johnson’s spokesperson said: “It reflected what was claimed by the Taliban.”
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