Final UK military flight departs Kabul airport as British campaign in Afghanistan ends
Britain's Defense Ministry confirmed on Saturday that the country's last flight carrying military personnel had departed the Kabul airport in Afghanistan as US evacuation efforts continue there.
The final @RoyalAirForce flight has departed Kabul marking the conclusion of #OpPITTING. A huge well done and thank you to everyone that helped @UKJFHQ successfully recover more than 15000 people @16AirAssltBde@YORKS_REGT@104Bde@FCDOGovUK@UKBorder@BritishArmy#AlwaysReadypic.twitter.com/4wArL4Rgtr
— UK Joint Force Headquarters (@UKJFHQ) August 28, 2021
Operation Pitting has now come to an end, with British military forces evacuating more than 15,000 British nationals and Afghan allies, including over 2000 children.
The final flight carrying UK Armed Forces personnel has left Kabul. To all those who served so bravely under enormous pressure and horrendous conditions to safely evacuate the most vulnerable of civilians: Thank you. pic.twitter.com/8DaRrpjWjq
— Ministry of Defence Press Office (@DefenceHQPress) August 28, 2021
Prime Minister Boris Johnson marked the end of Britain’s 20-year campaign in Afghanistan in a statement released through Twitter.
“I want to thank everyone involved and the thousands of those who served over the last two decades. You can be proud of what you have achieved,” he wrote.
Operation PITTING is a mission unlike anything we have seen in our lifetime, helping 15,000 people to safety in just under two weeks. I want to thank everyone involved and the thousands of those who served over the last two decades. You can be proud of what you have achieved. https://t.co/2RTrsuDOb7
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) August 28, 2021
The last UK flight carrying civilians only departed the Kabul airport last night.
After the UK’s pullout, US forces still continue evacuation efforts as they race to meet the August 31 deadline to leave the country. President Joe Biden has warned that another attack from ISIS-K could potentially happen in the next day, which would follow a bombing at the airport that left 13 US service members and dozens more dead.
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