'Fear and desperation' warning as Afghanistan evacuation deadline looms

British citizens and Afghans who had supported the UK are likely to be left at the mercy of the Taliban once evacuation flights cease at the end of the month, an MP has warned.

A mass evacuation exercise is underway at Kabul's airport as people try to flee Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover

Wolverhampton South East MP Pat McFadden said it was "hard to see" how all outstanding applications to leave Afghanistan could be processed by August 31, when Western troops are due to leave Kabul's airport.

At an emergency G7 meeting tomorrow Boris Johnson is expected to ask US President Joe Biden to extend the deadline to allow more flights - a move the Taliban says it will not support.

Mr McFadden said MPs were dealing with high numbers of cases involving people desperate to flee Afghanistan.

He said he was pleased that an interpreter and his family that he and his staff had helped get to safety inside Kabul's airport were now back in UK, but that many others remained in trouble.

"This is only one family and the bigger picture is much more worrying," Mr McFadden said.

"There are many more interpreters and others who have worked for UK forces still in Afghanistan, plus of course other UK residents who are still there.

"The deadline for the air bridge operation looks to be the end of the month and that is adding to the fear and desperation of people inside Afghanistan.

Wolverhampton South East MP Pat McFadden says colleagues are dealing with high numbers of cases involving people desperate to flee Afghanistan

"I have nothing but praise for the UK ambassador, his team and the British troops at the airport but it’s hard to see how we can process all the outstanding applications in the next seven days.

"That leaves the huge question of what’s going to happen after the end of the month."

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has confirmed that British troops are due to leave Kabul when the US withdraws.

Armed Forces Minister James Heappey said 6,631 people had been evacuated to the UK in the past week, while around 1,800 "eligible people" or UK passport holders remained in Afghanistan.

On top of that, there were also 2,275 Afghans who can be resettled having worked for the UK government, and others from "wider Afghan civil society who we would like to get out if we're able".