London: British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said he will travel to Afghanistan s neighbours on Wednesday, as he defended the UK government s approach to the country following weeks of scathing criticism from across the political spectrum.
During nearly two hours of questions from lawmakers, Raab insisted Britain had prepared for all eventualities ahead of last month s Taliban takeover and would continue trying to help those fleeing the new regime in Kabul.
Ahead of visiting the unspecified countries to discuss allowing vulnerable Afghans entry and onward travel to the UK, he said the Foreign Office was dispatching 15-person “rapid deployment teams” to continue London s evacuation efforts.
Britain has opened talks with the Taliban over the safe passage of its remaining nationals and allies out of Afghanistan and dispatched senior civil servant Simon Gass to meet with Taliban representatives in Doha.
It is the first publicly disclosed diplomacy between London and the Taliban since Britain joined the United States in the mammoth airlift of more than 100,000 people out of the country after the Afghan military s capitulation.
“I m going to the region tonight to test the accessibility of these arrangements,” Raab told the cross-party panel of MPs grilling him at a special watchdog hearing.
“We ve got to keep those borders open. And I think part of that is giving those third countries arrangements that they can feel confident in, perhaps support as well.” He is expected to make an initial stop in Doha, which has proved a key hub for Taliban officials. AFP
