https://sputnikglobe.com/20210825/uk-foreign-secretary-raab-denies-he-was-paddle-boarding-as-kabul-fell-to-taliban-1083711357.html
UK Foreign Secretary Raab Denies He Was 'Paddle-Boarding' as Kabul Fell to Taliban
UK Foreign Secretary Raab Denies He Was 'Paddle-Boarding' as Kabul Fell to Taliban
Sputnik International
Dominic Raab was accused last week of putting his family holiday ahead of evacuating Afghans who worked with the US-led occupation from Kabul, after it emerged... 25.08.2021, Sputnik International
2021-08-25T16:11+0000
2021-08-25T16:11+0000
2023-05-28T15:15+0000
world
newsfeed
dominic raab
boris johnson
crete
afghanistan
afghanistan war
taliban
ashraf ghani
hanif atmar
https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/08/19/1083710354_0:0:1699:962_1920x0_80_0_0_4cdada926518a5a2704d4f108a6ea3ae.jpg
British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has denied claims he was "paddle-boarding" as the Taliban* advanced on Kabul.Raab has dismissed opposition calls for him to resign over the accusation he neglected to phone his counterpart in the rapidly-collapsing Afghan government — while on holiday in Crete — to help organise the evacuation of those who had collaborated with the 20-year occupation of the Asian country.He insisted in a Wednesday morning interview with Sky News that reports he was "lounging around on the beach all day" were "nonsense".Raab stressed that the government's response had ensured that "9,000, people, British nationals, Afghan workers were secured to the UK". "We will use every last remaining hour and day to get everyone we can back, the British nationals, the Afghans who worked so loyally for us, we are getting the Chevening scholars back, also women's rights defenders and journalists", he pledged, even as it was reported the British presence would end in 36 hours.The row centres on events of 13 August, when Raab said his Private Office — the team of civil servants who act as a minister's personal assistants — received "advice" to call then-Afghan Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar.The foreign secretary said in a statement last week that the "recommendation" was "quickly overtaken by events".Two days later, the Taliban marched into Kabul without firing a shot, toppling the US-backed government and prompting deposed President Ashraf Ghani to flee the country in his personal jet.Prime Minister Boris Johnson has publicly expressed confidence in Raab amid the furore.British troops and Royal Air Force transport jets were deployed to Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport along with US forces after the White House ordered a hasty evacuation of its Kabul embassy.The British Army has been praised for venturing out to retrieve stranded people — including a US Washington Post reporter and her team — while US forces refuse to leave the heavily-fortified airport for fear of breaching their bilateral peace accord signed with the Taliban last year.Johnson told Parliament last week that up to 25,000 Afghans would be granted asylum in the UK, compared to the 40,000 that the US, which led the 2001 invasion and occupation, has pledged to accept.*The Taliban is a terrorist organisation outlawed in Russia and many other countries.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20210825/uks-kabul-airlift-to-end-in-36-hours-report-says-as-biden-rejects-evacuation-deadline-extension-1083706886.html
crete
afghanistan
united kingdom (uk)
Sputnik International
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rosiya Segodnya“
2021
James Tweedie
https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/08/1c/1080307270_0:3:397:400_100x100_80_0_0_7777393b9b18802f2e3c5eaa9cbcc612.png
James Tweedie
https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/08/1c/1080307270_0:3:397:400_100x100_80_0_0_7777393b9b18802f2e3c5eaa9cbcc612.png
News
en_EN
Sputnik International
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rosiya Segodnya“
Sputnik International
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rosiya Segodnya“
James Tweedie
https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/08/1c/1080307270_0:3:397:400_100x100_80_0_0_7777393b9b18802f2e3c5eaa9cbcc612.png
newsfeed, dominic raab, boris johnson, crete, afghanistan, afghanistan war, taliban, ashraf ghani, hanif atmar, mohammad hanif atmar, united kingdom (uk)
newsfeed, dominic raab, boris johnson, crete, afghanistan, afghanistan war, taliban, ashraf ghani, hanif atmar, mohammad hanif atmar, united kingdom (uk)
UK Foreign Secretary Raab Denies He Was 'Paddle-Boarding' as Kabul Fell to Taliban
16:11 GMT 25.08.2021 (Updated: 15:15 GMT 28.05.2023) Dominic Raab was accused last week of putting his family holiday ahead of evacuating Afghans who worked with the US-led occupation from Kabul, after it emerged that a request to call the foreign minister of the rapidly-collapsing regime there was not acted on.
British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has denied claims he was "paddle-boarding" as the Taliban* advanced on Kabul.
Raab has dismissed
opposition calls for him to resign over the accusation he neglected to phone his counterpart in the rapidly-collapsing Afghan government — while on holiday in Crete — to help organise the evacuation of those who had collaborated with the 20-year occupation of the Asian country.
He insisted in a Wednesday morning interview with
Sky News that reports he was "lounging around on the beach all day" were "nonsense".
"The stuff about me paddle-boarding, nonsense, the sea was actually closed, it was a red notice", Raab said. "I was focused on the Cobra meetings, the Foreign Office team, the director and the director general, and the international engagement".
Raab stressed that the government's response had ensured that "9,000, people, British nationals, Afghan workers were secured to the UK".
"We will use every last remaining hour and day to get everyone we can back, the British nationals, the Afghans who worked so loyally for us, we are getting the Chevening scholars back, also women's rights defenders and journalists", he pledged, even as it was reported the British presence would end in 36 hours.
25 August 2021, 08:12 GMT
The row centres on events of 13 August, when Raab said his Private Office — the team of civil servants who act as a minister's personal assistants — received "advice" to
call then-Afghan Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar.
The foreign secretary said in a statement last week that the "recommendation" was "quickly overtaken by events".
"The call was delegated to a Minister of State because I was prioritising security and capacity at the airport on the direct advice of the Director and the Director General overseeing the crisis response", Raab said.
Two days later, the Taliban marched into Kabul without firing a shot, toppling the US-backed government and prompting deposed President Ashraf Ghani to flee the country in his personal jet.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has publicly
expressed confidence in Raab amid the furore.
British troops and Royal Air Force transport jets were deployed to Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport along with US forces after the White House ordered a hasty evacuation of its Kabul embassy.
The British Army has been praised for venturing out to retrieve stranded people — including a US
Washington Post reporter and her team — while US forces refuse to leave the heavily-fortified airport for fear of breaching their bilateral peace accord signed with the Taliban last year.
Johnson told Parliament last week that up to 25,000 Afghans would be granted asylum in the UK, compared to the 40,000 that the US, which led the 2001 invasion and occupation, has pledged to accept.
*The Taliban is a terrorist organisation outlawed in Russia and many other countries.
