Britain's last military flight left Kabul late on Saturday after evacuating more than 15,000 people in the two weeks since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, ending nearly 20 years of British military occupation in the country, Reuters reported.
The last evacuation flight left earlier on Saturday. About 15,000 people were airlifted out of Afghanistan by British forces in less than two weeks, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed
The prime minister, Boris Johnson, said now was a time to reflect on the UK’s mission in Afghanistan.
“The departure of the last British soldiers from the country is a moment to reflect on everything we have sacrificed and everything we have achieved in the last two decades", he claimed.
“The nature of our engagement in Afghanistan may have changed, but our goals for the country have not", he said.
The British ambassador to Afghanistan, Sir Laurie Bristow, had earlier said it was “time to close this phase” of the evacuation effort.
Britain was at Washington's side from the start of the US-led invasion of Afghanistan that overthrew the then-ruling Taliban in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, incident.
More than 450 British armed forces personnel died during two decades of deployment in the country.
RHM/PR
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