Britain says it has evacuated 5,000 from Afghanistan so far

Britain's Ambassador to Afghanistan Laurie Bristow speaks with an HMG staff member as they facilitate the UK evacuation effort in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Reuters)

Britain's Ambassador to Afghanistan Laurie Bristow speaks with a man next to a HMG staff member as they facilitate the UK evacuation effort in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Reuters)

Britain's Ambassador to Afghanistan Laurie Bristow speaks with HMG staff as they facilitate the UK evacuation effort in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Reuters)

• Laurie Bristow said the “huge effort” to move evacuees out of Afghanistan is “gathering pace”
• He said there is still “a huge amount of work to do”

LONDON: Britain’s ambassador to Afghanistan says British authorities have managed to evacuate more than 5,000 people, with 1,000 in the last 14 hours alone.
In a statement on Twitter, Laurie Bristow said the “huge effort” to move evacuees out of Afghanistan is “gathering pace” but that there is still “a huge amount of work to do.”
Bristow said he is in the evacuation handling center in Kabul where soldiers, diplomats and forces have been “working around the clock to get our British nationals, Afghan colleagues and Embassy staff to safety.”
In addition to the 4,000 or so UK nationals, there are thought to be around 5,000 Afghan allies, such as translators and drivers, who are earmarked for a seat on a British plane.