'They're heroes witnessing desperation and suffering daily': Minister on British troops

26 August 2021, 09:59

Armed Forces Minister pays tribute to bravery of troops at Kabul

EJ Ward

By EJ Ward

Minister's heartfelt tribute to British armed forces in Kabul who are seeing "desperation and suffering" daily.

After Nick Ferrari paid tribute to the bravery of the British troops at Kabul airport engaged in evacuation flights, Armed Forces Minister James Heappey echoed his sentiments.

“Imagine that you are there, you’ve been faced with that desperation, that suffering. You’ve seen people die in the crush of the queue outside you."

Read more: Minister warns of possible Isis-K attack at Kabul airport within 'hours'

"You have spent the whole week trying to save life, facilitate safe passage, protect the vulnerable and you have to do all of that whilst knowing that potentially within the crowd is somebody who is trying to take lives in their hundreds.”

The Minister told LBC many of the troops at the airport are "18 and 19-year-old brave young men and women who have signed up to serve in our nations armed forces."

Read more: Islamic State 'utterly deplorable' for wanting to attack 'international humanitarian mission'

"They’re heroes Nick and we should all be really proud of them."

Opening up, Mr Heappey admitted not everyone would be able to get on an evacuation aircraft.

"You know, we won’t get everybody out - there will be people on your TV screens over the weekend that have been left behind."

But, the former army officer said this was not a reflection on the troops on the ground.

"Absolutely none of the Paras, the pilots, anybody who has been involved in this mission should look at those TV pictures and see it as a personal reflection of their endeavours over the last few days."

"The reality is that we’ve brought out 5,000 people – already more than we thought be needed to bring out when we started this mission – it’s the most remarkable effort.

"They’re doing it in the face of the most severe of threats. It’s just such a shame that we can’t bring everybody out, it’s just such a shame that this threat is disrupting our evacuation effort over the period that the threat remains as acute as it is. I wish it weren’t that way, but it is."

More Nick Ferrari

See more More Nick Ferrari

Nick Ferrari attends his first Trump rally in Pennsylvania as he meets the crowd in 'the poorest city in the United States'

Nick Ferrari attends his first Trump rally in Pennsylvania as he meets the crowd in 'the poorest city in the United States'

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has said she strongly disagrees with a tweet that a backbench MP appeared to have reposted saying Kemi Badenoch represents "white supremacy in blackface".

Cooper condemns 'appalling' tweet shared by Dawn Butler labelling Kemi Badenoch 'white supremacy in blackface'

Exclusive
Cumberland County: Where the US election could be won or lost

Nick Ferrari travels to America for the US Election: Watch the best bits here

Exclusive
The Chancellor was speaking to LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast

Chancellor ‘doesn’t know’ salary of new chairman tasked with ensuring government ‘value for money'

Transparency over Southport stabbings key to avoiding 'deep public mistrust in the criminal justice system', says Jenrick

Transparency over Southport stabbings key to avoiding 'deep public mistrust' in criminal justice system, says Jenrick

Exclusive
The government has introduced its football governance bill.

'We're on the same side': Minister denies feud with Premier League over Football Governance Bill

Exclusive
Protest sign reading Danger water pollution, this water is polluted with raw sewage. The responsible party is Thames Water. River Wey, Guildford, UK

Government warns demand for water could outstrip supply as they launch review into 'broken' sector

Nick Ferrari.

'He'll look over his shoulder for the rest of his life': Concern for Martyn Blake's privacy long overdue

Exclusive
'No one gutsy enough to address this': Mylene Klass calls on government to introduce paid miscarriage leave.

Government not 'gutsy' enough to implement paid miscarriage leave claims Myleene Klass

Exclusive
David Cameron speaks to LBC

David Cameron calls for UK to sanction two Israeli ministers as change on arms embargo 'didn't satisfy anybody'

'I wouldn't do it again': Jenrick suggests regret for painting over murals at children’s asylum centre.

'I wouldn't do it again': Robert Jenrick says he regrets ordering workers to paint over murals at children’s asylum centre

Exclusive
Where did all the fish go? Feargal Sharkey uncovers dangerous blue-green algae plaguing River Wye

Where did all the fish go? Feargal Sharkey uncovers dangerous blue-green algae plaguing River Wye

UK troops in Cyprus 'ready to act' says defence secretary noting forces already play 'important' role in preventing escalation

UK troops in Cyprus 'ready to act' with forces playing an 'important' role in preventing escalation

Exclusive
LBC has uncovered levels of E Coli in Britain’s rivers over fifty times higher than levels recommended by the Environment Agency, in the latest edition of Feargal on Friday.

Feargal Sharkey exposes dangerous levels of E. coli in British rivers

Exclusive
Suspending arm sales to Israel will have weakened UK's 'hand' in Washington, Ex-armed forces minister says.

Suspending arms sales to Israel weakened UK's 'hand' in Washington, ex-armed forces minister says

Tory leadership hopeful Tom Tugendhat refuses to commit to reversing Labour's cuts to the winter fuel payment

Tory leadership hopeful Tom Tugendhat refuses to commit to reversing Labour's cuts to the winter fuel payment