UK tells its nationals to leave Afghanistan immediately
August 7, 2021
The British foreign ministry warned of a high risk of terror attacks and "a worsening security situation" as the Taliban continued their offensive across Afghanistan.
The Islamist Taliban have gone on the offensive since the US and its Western allies began to withdraw their forcesImage: Rahmat Gul/AP Photo/picture alliance
Britain’s Foreign Office warned that "terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks" amid a drawdown of international troops stationed there.
The US has evacuated most of its troops and hardware from its main airbase in Bagram.Image: Adek Berry/Getty Images/AFP
"Specific methods of attack are evolving and increasing in sophistication," it said. "There is a high threat of kidnapping throughout the country."
The UK's diplomatic service, which regularly updates travel advisories for countries all over the world, said Britons would not be able to rely on the UK government for an emergency evacuation.
"You are advised to leave now by commercial means because of the worsening security situation," it said in the statement.
The hardline Islamist insurgents captured the provincial capital of Zaranj, in the southern Nimroz province, on Friday afternoon.
On Saturday, Afghan officials confirmed the loss of another provincial capital, the city of Sheberghan in Jawzjan province.
"The (government) forces and officials have retreated to the airport," the region's deputy governor Qader Malia told the AFP news agency.
"The city has unfortunately fallen completely," AFP quoted him as saying.
Sheberghan is the former stronghold of infamous warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum, a former army paratrooper who returned to Afghanistan on Wednesday following medical treatment in Turkey.
Advertisement
Will any British nationals stay in Afghanistan?
A small number of UK military troops is expected to stay in Afghanistan temporarily, but most British soldiers have already left.
Britain’s last combat troops left Afghanistan in October 2014. Just 750 stayed on as part of a NATO mission to train Afghan forces.
General Nick Carter, the head of the British armed forces, said last month that the situation in Afghanistan was "pretty grim" and warned there was a danger of "state collapse."
But Prime Minister Boris Johnson denied Britain was "walking away," pointing to the British government's pledge of millions of pounds in funding for education and military aid.
Britain is among the NATO countries that has pulled most of its troops out of AfghanistanImage: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/AP/picture alliance
A total of 150,000 British soldiers have served in Afghanistan since a US-led coalition invaded in 2001 in what was then dubbed "a war on terror."
As many as 457 UK service personnel lost their lives over the past two decades while fighting militant groups.
As US troops leave, Afghanistan buried under American trash
The Bagram Air Base was the headquarters of US forces in Afghanistan for nearly 20 years. The base has been emptying out since the spring, leaving tons of garbage behind.
Image: Adek Berry/Getty Images/AFP
Scrap as far as the eye can see
Historians may debate the political legacy of the US mission in Afghanistan. But the physical legacy is clear in the massive amounts of scrap metal and trash left behind. The US military's exit from Bagram Air Base is part of Washington's plans to completely withdraw troops from Afghanistan before the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Image: Adek Berry/Getty Images/AFP
Where to put all the garbage?
US soldiers will either take their equipment with them or give it to local security forces. But troops will leave plenty behind — such as junk, packaging and electronic waste. More than a 100,000 US troops have served at Bagram since 2001. The base, 70 kilometers north (40 miles) of Kabul, has grown into a small American town, complete with a shopping center and fast-food restaurants.
Image: Adek Berry/Getty Images/AFP
One man's garbage, another man's treasure
The junkyard just outside the base has become popular with fortune hunters. They come in large numbers to sift through the trash, on the lookout for something useful — like this pair of military boots. Their hope is to sell what they find for money.
Image: Adek Berry/Getty Images/AFP
Searching for electronic treasure
Large amounts of electronic waste are also buried in the dump. People are on the lookout for circuit boards that contain parts and screws that can be reused. Some even contain valuable materials like copper and even tiny amounts of gold. For Americans, it's all garbage. But for Afghans who earn just €500 ($695) a year, it's something of a treasure.
Image: Adek Berry/Getty Images/AFP
What will become of Bagram?
Bagram, at the foot of the Hindu Kush mountains, has a long history as an army base. The Soviet army used the base during its invasion in 1979. Many now fear that when the Americans leave, Bagram will fall into the hands of the Taliban — a strategic victory for the Islamists.
Image: imago images
A risky withdrawal
Troops have been officially withdrawing since May 1 and there's no time to get rid of the garbage as well. Heavy weapons and additional forces were kept on standby for possible Taliban attacks during the withdrawal. In the final weeks leading up to the withdrawal, a total of 36 NATO and partner countries were still involved in the mission, including 2,500 American soldiers and 1,100 from Germany.
Image: Adek Berry/Getty Images/AFP
Women at work
Here, a girl salvages a battered metal crate from the scrapyard. Despite the hardships, girls and women have profited the most from the US-led military mission and the fall of the Taliban in 2001. They have been able to attend school and, as adults, work in areas previously inaccessible to them, including high court offices and other institutions.
Image: Adek Berry/Getty Images/AFP
People left behind
Some people find things of pure sentimental value in the junkyard, to remind them of the base. Numerous settlements of local Afghan forces have sprung up around Bagram, and their existence has depended on the base. Many now wonder what will become of them and their families.
Image: Adek Berry/Getty Images/AFP
What remains?
So what's left of the US presence in the Hindu Kush, aside from worn-out boots and rusty wire? US President Joe Biden promised a "sustained" partnership during a June 25 White House meeting with his Afghan counterpart, Ashraf Ghani. Millions of Afghan will be taking Biden at his word.
Image: Adek Berry/Getty Images/AFP
9 images1 | 9
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has criticized Washington's withdrawal strategy.
"The reason for our current situation is that the decision was taken abruptly," he told parliament on Monday, adding he had warned the Biden administration the withdrawal would have "consequences."
