ominic Raab said the UK has helped 15,000 escape Afghanistan as he called it the “most complex evacuation in living memory”.
Between August 15 and 29, Mr Raab said the UK got more than 15,000 people to leave the country.
Of this number, it includes British nationals as well as 5,000 Afghans who loyally served the UK and 500 special cases of vulnerable people such as journalists.
The UK has evacuated 17,000 people since April, Mr Raab said.
He said: “Over the last three weeks, thanks to the shared efforts we have delivered the largest and most complex evacuation in living memory.”
He added: “Now the evacuation has ended we have entered a new phase.”
The government’s priority remains the safe passage of people out of Afghanistan, he said.
He said: “I also announced that we’re sending £30m of support to Afghanistan’s neighbours. This will provide life-saving support for refugees, including shelters, household necessities, sanitation and other hygiene facilities.”
It comes after Mr Johnson vowed the government are doing everything to secure a safe passage for people out of Afghanistan.
He told MPs: “We are going to do everything we can to help those who wish to have safe passage out of Afghanistan and that is why we’ll continue – with our international friends and partners – to apply whatever pressure we can, economic, diplomatic, on the Taliban to ensure that they comply with that – as they have said that they will.”
