British transport aircraft including four C-17s, one A400M, one C-130 and three Voyagers are currently involved in evacuation efforts.
At approximately 9:12 PM local time today, the Associated Press reported that the Taliban would soon declare the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan from the presidential palace in Kabul.
#Kabul Airlift – Aircraft Tracking Sheet – Version 1.0 (20:00BST 15/08/2021)
Data collected via @flightradar24 @ADSBexchange and @planefinder
Created with help from the amazing @vcdgf555 (go give them a follow if you don't already!)#Afghanistan #Taliban pic.twitter.com/y7qoUxFKPi— DefenceGeek (@DefenceGeek) August 15, 2021
600 British military personnel have deployed to Afghanistan on a short term basis to assist British nationals to leave.
British troops arrived earlier to assist with the evacuation. pic.twitter.com/LYJieXS935
— George Allison (@geoallison) August 15, 2021
The UK Government say that UK troops are there provide force protection and logistical support for the relocation of British nationals where required and assist with the acceleration of the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy, you can read more about this below.
All this for Osama Bin Laden, a Saudi national, found and killed in Pakistan. AQ formed primarily from Saudi and Pakistani nationals. Afghanistan was a proxy for the real problem which is Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Pakistan and Iran….Lesson in history – don’t impose democracy via military intervention, don’t fight the wrong countries and don’t import the problem to your country via offering sanctuary to mostly young men of unknown background and origin…but I fully expect the usual vilification for stating what is obvious to most people in Britain…and what the average man and woman in the street thinks…
If we are attacked we must not rule out going to the ends of the earth to eliminate the threat. That said you are quite correct you cannot impose democracy nor should you try.
I think the message for all countries has to be – if you host people intent on attacking a NATO country it is not likely to end well.
Agree with everything you say. This was an ill considered intervention partly designed to deflect from the abject failure of US security to prevent the 11/9 attacks. How any competent politician or military leader could think the deployment of ground forces was sensible in the light of the recent Soviet experience escaped me then and now.
If Taliban facilitation of Al Qaeda was proven, then USA ( not UK) had a legitimate casus belli and could have destroyed Afghanistan with airpower.
For the future, the threat of overwhelming retaliation needs to be made clear to the new Afghan government.
Remove the foundations of any building, it will fall down!
The West(mainly the US), was providing the supporting structures for the Afghan Army.
Blair was warned by the middle east department of the Foreign office not to stay in Afghanistan longer than a year , and it was impossible to overcome tribalism and family feuds in the country.
But Blair I feel the hand of God on my shoulder ignored the advice.
Agreed. There we had no chance of creating a civilised modern society. Here we might, with concerted action, save our own.
Having Survived the London 2005 Bombing by Luck, My Office was in Tavistock Square. 100ft from the bus.
All for providing support for families that arrive via the correct channels, But allowing 1000s of young men who have no reason to arrive here.
and as proved they don’t deserve to be on a civilized street.
Maybe if they stood and fought for THERE COUNTRY, rather than runaway
They will Kill from Within.
We’ll be back in 5 years – I’d bet the White House on it
Anyone know how many people UK needs to evacuate? 6-700 seats available on these planes per flight.
Lower estimate 2,000 upper estimate 4,000.
Thanks watcherzero. I wonder if there will be any opportunists and if so how they will get sorted from those genuinely in need.
Only the C-17s, C-130s and A400s are going into Kabul, The Voyagers are staging at Al Minhad air base ferrying back to UK.
I doubt any opportunist will be able to board. Elsie given the accounts from non milo or diplomatic UK nationals in Kabul who cannot get a flight out
Serious disaster now unfolding in Kabul. I won’t make a political comment but I do hope that NATO have cut a deal with the Taliban to exit peacefully after all we, it seems, no longer want to be there and they, the Taliban, don’t want us there so hopefully we can avoid unnecessary bloodshed. My thoughts are with our troops and lets hope they don’t have to fight a phased airborne withdrawal.
Has Government resistance simply melted away.
Yes, it seems so. Think Vietnam and South East Asia when the US pulled out… Sad thing is according to General Dannatt who was interviewed on the BBC yesterday I think, the Afghan Army was doing quite well until the support melted away…
Cheers CR
hmmm I’m not convinced. I heard about a city which had 3000 ANA troops being attacked by about 400 taliban and the ANA just gave up. With those kinds of numbers, they should have been fine without air support.
Taliban got to local Governors and military leaders since Trump announcement of withdrawal in 2019. Most agreed to order surrender as soon as Taliban showed up that’s why so little fighting. Western Intelligence had no idea it was happening but neither did Afghan Govt.
I wonder how much equipment is still left in Kabul and at the airport? I bet the West didn’t think they’d have to pull out this quickly. I guess what you can’t ship quickly you destroy in place. I bet the Taliban already has a deal with the Chicoms to sell them whatever US, UK, ect gear is left of any intelligence value.
You can guarantee British and US Special Forces are busy running around blowing stuff up and lazing targets for air strikes in the background.
I don’t think the Chinese have the slightest interest in 30 year old M16A2’s and old Hummers Dan.
I don’t think we ever gave the Afghans anything of the slightest bit restricted, as they would be likely to sell it on the black market to the highest bidder if we did!
I suspect you’re right John, I was reading the article about the B52’s going to bomb the crap out of some A-29B’s and AC208B’s and had to google them to find out they were Tucannos and Cessna light cargo jobs. I doubt any of the various baddies will be after those.
US took everything that was working but have apparently left behind a vast inventory of civilian cars and military vehicles that were thought broken (some have been repaired) as well as MRE’s and other consumable supplies. The US completed the evacuation of their bases a couple of weeks ago. A lot of the Afghan armys stuff has been captured by the Taliban as they pretty much surrendered without a fight which is a couple of old tanks, some helicopters (mostly second hand Russian), couple of SPG’s, some artillery pieces and some armoured vehicles. We didnt for example give the Afghans… Read more »
The US have sent some B52’s to destroy what counter insergency aircraft the Afghan air force had.
Cheers CR
I remember watching footage of the fall of Saigon when I was a youngster.
Me too. I feel sorry for the young Afghans who thought they had a future, especially the girls and young women…
Cheers CR
I looked up the fall of Saigon and read that the ARVN 8th Division held off the North Vietnamese Army for 11 days at the end of March 1975. The Afghan Army hardly gave a yelp by comparison.
Well yes, there were instances of the ARVN fighting well but American GI’s used to say that the initials stood for; “Am Really Very Nervous”….
1 out of 20 Atlas vs 4 out of 8 C17 may be a case of selecting the best type for the job but it could also point to really bad levels of availability with the former.
Let’s hope all UK citizens and personnel get out of there safely.
From what I’ve seen only two C-17s are involved (ZZ171 and ZZ174) taking turns shuttling from Kabul > Al Minhad Air Base, Three A400Ms (ZM412 – ZM408 – ZM407 and C-130K (ZH871) also making trips to Kabul.
A live screenshot at Three Voyagers (ZZ330 – ZZ331 – ZZ333) shuttling from Al Minhad > Brize Norton.
My guess they sent everything they had available, as it is an emergency situation. Why more werrent available who knows, but shows that even with a reasonable number of heavy lift aircraft, we still don’t have enough, to have numbers available when it matters.
And its bye bye Hercs soon! Idiots!
Totally agree Should keep the c130s and add some more a400ms from surplus orders . Could get the a400m on a bogof basis
Things are getting desperate, A USAF C-17 RCH871 confirmed he had over 800 passengers onboard flying out of Kabul.
A recording can be heard here https://soundcloud.com/metal57/rch-871
I really hope the Taliban keep their side of the deal and let the exac complete peacefully. With the city now under control, they could easily attack the airport, which I doubt their are enough us/UK forces there to protect everyone trying to escape.
Well you have to feel sorry for Putin this morning. He won’t be handing over any more bounties to the Taliban for killing US or UK troops in Afghanistan.
I think multilateralism, liberalism and the associated military intervention that ensues from trying to impose our version of society on a very backward third world country was destined to fail from the start. Osama Bin Laden moved between Waziristan in Pakistan to the foothills of the caves in Tora-Bora. We always just needed to take him out and his generals and then get out but they are like the Hydra of Greek Mythology – always another head appearing. However, our real issues are with Wahhabi clerics in Saudi Arabia and Qatar as well as the government of Pakistan – deal… Read more »
don’t forget about the right-wing extremists. They are bad for the health of the western nations
Oh please not that old story….As yet we haven’t had any major incidents of right-wing extremists and this is often built up by the left as a strawman (total non-senses in the UK). We have many on the left simply unwilling to see their own extremism and that of Islam. However, I’m not going to waste my effort persuading you – what’s the point?
Just like the terrorist appeasing stories from peaceniks, like you!
Very true!
It’s an absolute Cluster F**k. Those of us who have served and worked with the ANA knew full well of the ramifications, if we left the country. We mentioned it constantly in reports, with one of the Lt.Col’s in charge of the training, I know very well, stating this upfront to a defence secretary, who was on a fact finding tour back in 2015. The ANA are a light infantry force that were wholly dependent on western military personnel, giving them leadership and guidance when planning operations and during contacts. They hardly had any heavy weapons and their Airforce was… Read more »
An example of why it is not wise to cut the RAF transport fleet of C-130J, unless the UK buys more A400M.
Seems a little strange that only the US UK and Canada are the only ones sending aircraft, is there any assistance to come from other nations?
France is sending 2 A400M, Spain too. Belgium 1 and 2 C130. Netherlands sends planes too and may be others…
Thank you
The question should be IF THE USA went into conflict with China, Which Countries would follow Biden.
they have sold Bombs Bullets and Bandages to Pakistan where you think the Taliban got its kit.
Most of the military equipment that the Taliban gets their hands on like A-29B’s and AC208B’s will become junk in months with no spare parts.
Well there are a lot of Cessna Caravans around the world, so I suspect they can get parts on the grey/black market.
That is true about the Caravans, but the A-29B’s and other military aircraft/helicopters may not fly again anytime soon if at all. Include pilots the Taliban can trust and have not jailed, this will be a big factor as well in a future Afghanistan AF.