Boris Johnson: 'Overwhelming majority' of eligible people evacuated from Afghanistan

26 August 2021, 13:14 | Updated: 26 August 2021, 14:21

Boris Johnson has said the "overwhelming majority" of eligible people have now been evacuated from Afghanistan.

Speaking to broadcasters on a visit to the Permanent Joint Headquarters in north London, where he met military personnel co-ordinating the evacuation effort, Boris Johnson said around 15,000 people had already been evacuated by British troops.

"In the time we have left, which may be - as I'm sure everybody can appreciate - quite short, we'll do everything we can to get everybody else," he said.

On the threat of terror attacks at Kabul airport, Mr Johnson said: "I think we have to be transparent about the risks, that we have to be realistic about what's going on, and you'll appreciate that there are Islamic State Khorasan province (Isis-K) terrorists out there.

"I can't go into the details, clearly. But we have to be mindful of the security of our personnel, but also of the Afghan people who are trying to get out."

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PM meets military personnel co-ordinating Afghan evacuation effort

He added that that although the "lion's share" of eligible people had now been removed from the country, he recognised "there will be people who still need help".

Mr Johnson said: "What we're hoping, and this is the key point that the G7 agreed, is that the Taliban understand that if they want to engage with development aid, they want to unlock those billions of funds, they want to have a diplomatic, political relationship with the outside world, then the safe passage for those who want to come out is the key precondition."

Read more: Afghanistan: 'High threat' of Isis-K terror attack as evacuation deadline draws near

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Moving forward, he said the next challenge would be to help Afghan refugees "integrate into our society".

"The real job now is to make sure they have the housing, they have the skills, they have the opportunities to integrate into our society.

"As you know, our labour market... it currently offers many opportunities, but we must make sure that they're ready, and that's another whole job," the Prime Minister explained.

While at the headquarters, he met military personnel who had been co-ordinating the evacuation effort in Afghanistan.

He also learnt which security checks were carried out for those who had applied for resettlement schemes and read emails sent by Afghans wishing to come over to the UK.

Read more: Afghanistan: UK evacuation flights from Kabul to end in 'next 24 to 36 hours'

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Mr Johnson came face-to-face with a former Afghan interpreter - also called Boris - who was still helping with the effort.

The interpreter told him that he was originally from Kabul and worked in his role for the British Army from 2006 before working at Camp Bastion and then moving to the UK and becoming a British citizen.

Speaking about the interpreters still in Afghanistan that he was in contact with, Boris told the Prime Minister: "When I call them, I remember the guys who I worked with."

He said he was also now a reservist for the Army.