Operation Pitting was the British military operation to evacuate British nationals and eligible Afghans from Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover of the country.
In the end, 13,708 eligible Afghans and British nationals were successfully evacuated in 100 flights but 800–1,100 eligible Afghans and 100–150 British nationals were left behind.
With 100 flights, the effort was the largest British evacuation since the Second World War and largest airlift since the Berlin Blockade of 1948-9.
The Timeline
- 15th of August, British troops arrived at Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport aboard a C-17. These troops, elements of 16 Air Assault Brigade, worked with US forces to secure the airport. During the same day, Kabul, the capital and largest city of Afghanistan, fell to the Taliban shortly after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country. The Taliban subsequently requested a peaceful transfer of power.
More British forces arrive at Kabul Airport - 16th of August, the first flight of 370 evacuees arrived at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, England via an RAF Voyager aircraft. A total of 11 RAF aircraft, consisting of four Voyagers, four C-17s, two Atlas C1s and one Lockheed C-130 Hercules were involved in operations during the same day. The RAF also began diverting aircraft from other operations to assist. The UK Border Force also became involved with the operation to help process evacuees.
The first Voyager evacuation flight after having landed in the UK. - 17th of August, US forces, with the support of British and allied forces, had successfully taken control of the airport. The airport subsequently became more stable, allowing the RAF to begin mass airlifts.
British and American tarnsport aircraft conducting mass-evacuations lined up at Kabul. - 18th of August, reports began to emerge that Taliban checkpoints outside the airport were refusing entry to some Afghans and beating women and children. During the same day, two RAF evacuation flights took place, carrying a potential maximum of 250 passengers each, which also included 76 Australians.
British officer from 2 Para speaking with Taliban commanders near the entrance to Kabul Airport. - 19th of August, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace announced that no unattended children would be permitted to fly after footage was released of desperate Afghan families handing over their children to British and US forces. It also emerged that British forces had been travelling around Kabul to collect people entitled unable to reach the airport.
2 PARA at Kabul Airport - 20th of August, a report from The Times claimed UK Special Forces were active in Kabul and seeking out those unable to access the airport due to the Taliban. In the previous 24 hours, the RAF had evacuated 963 people.
- 23rd of August, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace announced that the UK had “hours not weeks” to complete its evacuations after the US announced its intensions to withdraw on the 31st of August. Around 200 members of the Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland prepared to deploy. In total, over 1,000 British military personnel were now involved with operations.
A British C-17 in Kabul. - 24th of August, the UK hosted an emergency meeting for G7 leaders which Prime Minister Boris Johnson used to request an extension of the US deadline, backed by the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan. In response, the Taliban reiterated its position, describing a deadline extension as a “violation” which it would respond to. Following the G7 leaders meeting, the US announced that the deadline would remain in place.
- 26th of August, Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated the “overwhelming majority” of eligible people had been evacuated by the UK, amounting to a total of around 15,000 people, however around 2,000 remained. Defence Minister James Heappey admitted that some people would not be evacuated by the 31 August deadline. Heappey also warned of the risk posed by Islamic State and claimed there was “now very, very credible reporting of an imminent attack”. During the same day, a suicide bombing occurred on the outskirts of the airport which resulted in the deaths of at least 182 people, including 13 US military personnel, and injuries to over 150. Two British nationals and the child of a British national were also killed. 2nd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment (2 YORKS) had arrived in Kabul on the same day, deploying from Cyprus.
MoD image shows a C-17 Globemaster leaving Kabul last week carrying 436 people – the single biggest capacity flight in RAF history. - 27th of August, the UK government announced the Kabul evacuation had entered its final stage. As part of the drawdown, the processing centre at Baron Hotel was closed and the focus shifted to evacuating those already processed. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace described his “deep regret” that not everyone would be able to evacuate but praised the efforts of those involved in evacuating over 13,000 people in 14 days. Wallace also disclosed that timetables had been “squeezed” and military equipment was under consideration to be left behind or destroyed to free up capacity for more Afghans and British nationals.
- 28th of August, Chief of the Defence Staff Sir Nick Carter confirmed that evacuation operations were ending that same day, stating that it was “heartbreaking” that they had failed to evacuate everyone who wanted to get out. The final evacuation flight for civilians left on that same day, followed by the very final evacuation flight, carrying military personnel, later in the day, marking the end of the operation.
British troops depart Kabul.
What other nations have the capability to do what we did in strategic airlift capability ?apart from USAF , Doubt there are many. We can moan all we like about numbers but when it comes to it the RAF it gets shit done👍🏻
answers on a postcard
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Well said!!!!
Interesting article in DT about incorporating Afghan SF’s into British Army. Have to say i’m in favour but don’t know whether in special Regt like Gurkhas or fully integrated.
More likely get the more educated and committed lads to do covert ops back in AF. Our HUMINT will be zero now and ISIS-K are going to be top of the list of being removed from the planet, in order to allow the Taliban to “attempt” to from some sort of approved Government (make no mistake we will be working with the Talibs to achieve this). Then, however, you will have AQ moving back in, Pakistan causing shit and the Chinese and Russians wanting a piece of the pie. Going to be a shitty mess for quite some time.
Yep but they could also do a job in Mid East. Know they’re not Arab or Persian but physically and culturally they’d be a lot harder for the bad guys to spot. Plus good soldiers are good soldiers. PS to everyone I didn’t realise this convo had started in another article on site.
I think if we do as you suggest we will prolong the duration of a civil war in Afghanistan. Better for the Taliban to win and provide a stable government – whether it aligns with western values or not. We should have a national referendum for further intervention and people can then win the argument if they think this approach is a good idea. No more intervention in foreign countries.
Think you mean Airborne.
Thats what I have said mate, the Taliban have the position of authority at the moment and they have been fighting ISIS-K for the last few years. Therefore, as the ISIS-K are real scumbags and, if we are to try to make any sort of peace in AF, then we have little option at this time but to support them, the Talibs, in their fight against the destabilising effects of the utter brainwashed saddo nutters of the ISIS-K cockroach squad. AQ, also, will now make an effort to move into AF. In order to try to make AF NOT turn… Read more »
So we move out of a country that we have been involved in for 20 years having kicked out a regime that sponspored terrorism & then decide its best give it back to the very same regime, in order that we may fight other terrorist organisations that we believe will now set up in the same country we kicked em out of in the first place? Seems a decidedly arse about face way of doing things to me. Wouldn’t it have been better to just continue to support a government that was against those terrorists in the first place ,… Read more »
Why are we in this mess ? The only person it seems could answer is Mr Biden. Personally i’m not going to hold my breath. After Trump I was confident we’d have a US Pres who could at least make rational decisions whether right or wrong. I was far too optimistic. Apparently he’s angry with us for something new and not just that we’re not Irish. Now he’s angry because our Cabinet Ministers are expressing the belief that he’s mentally incapable ! Thank god it’s not true ! ! !
AGREED. America is NOT a friend of the UK. We need to stop going on about “special relationships” they’ve never had our backs unless there was self interest for them.
The exception was under Reagan, which was a good SR.
You mean when the US sided with Argentina in 1982, and was finally shamed into helping the UK, their so called Ally? The US spent months trying to convince the UK to accept the Argentine military situation – thankfully Maggie said to hell with that. America only does what is in their interest not the UK. Another example – WWII was only entered in 1941 because of Pearl Harbour but also because they thought GB would fall and the world’s largest navy (RN) would be used against it by the nazi’s. That is the only reason they entered WWII.
The exception was under Reagan, it was a good SR then.
Sorry about this repeat comment, it had looked like my first comment had disappeared.
No. Biden is not to blame ( Bush and Blair hower….). We are in this mess because 20 years ago instead of using a minimal boots on ground ‘raid and kill policy’ ( read butcher and bolt if you like for the 21st century) we ( the US and its allies) decided to go nation building ( it was idiotic then as it is now to anyone who understood A-stan). The policymakers forgot the strategic lessons of the 1st and 2nd Anglo- Afghan wars which to put it simply is maximum retribution in a short time – then exit letting… Read more »
The Talibs would just allow, after the next attack, AQ to re-establish the bases in Astan with civilian hostages in them. So how many hostages are you prepared to sacrifice for a maximum retribution policy?
Nope. Biden alone messed up the exit – anyone can see this. Why close the only air base we had, why remove the troops, why only come back to the citizens as the lat step in a terrible exit plan? BIDEN IS TO BLAME. He is on watch not Trump or Blaire or anyone else.
It’s not just the UK that B has it in for, some of the other Europeans as well, apart from the Irish!
Yep! However in 2001 ISIS and its retarded offshoots didn’t exist, it was AQ sponsored actions that was the initial entry reasoning. However the term your enemies enemy is my friend. Taliban have took the country and in comparison to ISIS-K seem reasonable at the moment. Therefore we will end up fighting ISIS-K, with tacit, covert cooperation from, and for, the Taliban. It’s suits us, and the Taliban that the priority enemy at this time are the ISIS-K cockroaches. In 2/3/5 years who knows, but there you go it’s going to have to be realistic grown up time for the… Read more »
Airborne wrote:
However in 2001 ISIS and its retarded offshoots didn’t exist,
Actually they did, ISIS was formed in 1999 in Jordon.
Not in Afghanistan, was my meaning.
When it’s a choice between blaming cock-up and conspiracy, you rarely go wrong explaining it as a cock-up. That’s not to say people won’t find a way to profit from it.
You mean the people who ran away and refused to fight? Why??
I’ve never read,seen or heard anyone say the Afghan Special Forces didn’t fight like hell. If you want someone to blame it would be the local tribal elders and the crooks in charge in Kabul.
Dave,
I saw this a fortnight ago:
https://twitter.com/BabakTaghvaee/status/1426498983111823362?s=20
Thanks for that. A depressing read. Doubt their applications will go through !
David wrote:
To be honest, I would have very little faith in geezers not only known for shooting up others because they were offended at the drop of a hat. But happy to surrendered on mass because they know can claim asylum in the West instead of fighting for their country, their families and themselves
Hopefully this will force the MoD & Treasury to life-ex or replace the departing c130s with A400Ms.
Does anyone have a guess as to what will replace the C17s? We must be using up a lot of airframe hours.
The C17 replacement will probably come out of whatever the US chooses as a replacement for their aircraft. That’s not due until 2040ish, so, we wait unfortunately.
You can bet that Boeing and Lockheed are already working on future transport designs for the USAF and, as you say, the RAF and other NATO air arms will undoubtedly follow suit with orders.
I suspect that you are correct in that respect. I have also read that the possibility of the US reopening the C17 production line is under consideration, thus only needing a upgrade to systems as opposed to the cost of developing a totally new plane.
We will just have to see what falls from the tree I suppose.
I agree. We can never predict when our forces will be needed, in what form and in what quantity. I accept we can never be ‘fully prepared’ but with all the signs around the world (Russia, China and Iran all up-arming) we should be up-arming too instead of penny-pinching here, cutting there and retiring this and that early to ‘afford’ our future armed forces. I appreciate it’s the nature of the armed forces that resources will be squeezed at times but what impact has this airlift had on our other Operations around the globe? Appreciate the Voyager, C-17 and A400M… Read more »
Agree. My other bee in bonnet issue is making sure that UK MOD has the option to air deploy, if required, light armour / reconnaissance vehicles on its c17s and a400m. Ajax and the full combat spec versions of Boxer are both too heavy to airlift on a400m. Light version Boxers will fit but IMHO, having a small number of contemporary air deployable, robust and well armed, fighting / reconnaissance vehicles has to be an inventory option for a globally motivated UK
At the bottom of it all is the dark ages, backward and primitive religion called Islam. All religions are basically a curse on mankind – still, if they hadn’t been invented man would have invented them. The Governor General of Egypt, Lord Baring, in 1910 summed it up when he said Islam reformed is Islam no longer. The World, unfortunately, will have to live with it until the end of time.
Man did invent them or am I missing some higher force that exists?
Humanism – that’s your higher force – transcends all religions that imprison minds.
Andrew that is alarmist BNP sounding bullsh*t. The US was born out of a multi ethnic society and has grown and continues to be the only super power. A society needs to continually evolve and adapt to stay relevant, this can be done while also holding onto their core roots, values and beliefs.
The west still easily outspends all other counterparts in areas of defence, engineering, science and technology. While also still have the best education, just look at the swaths of Chinese, Indian etc students in each western university.
What would you regard as “sane policies”, racial segregation?
You are certainly correct with this Far- right guy!
Yes, the USA is much more multi-ethnic then European countries!
The statement “far-right guy” says far more about you than it does me. When I need the most inane comments on these threads all I need do is search for Meirion…Zero intellectual comments other than some superfluous and vacuous barbs. It’s getting a bit repetitive your barbs I’m just wondering whether you can come up with anything more analytic than BNP…far-right…racist…moronic Brexit supporter, maybe your next comment will be gammon (a termed coined by the socially liberal when in fac they are nothing of the sort)…It kind of loses it’s impact if you throw it around so much for anyone… Read more »
Depends upon what you mean by centre right. There are a host of issues that people can be centre right on e.g. economics, defence, immigration, healthcare, benefits etc. You could well be centre right on economics and defence for instance but be socially liberal on say immigration and benefits. If we had referenda tomorrow (like the Swiss do) on many of these areas you would quickly find the British general public hawkish on immigration, benefits and defence but socially liberal on economic intervention (e.g. industrial policy) and the NHS. Just because you have made a sweeping statement saying you are… Read more »
The US spends more on defence than every other nation on Earth I don’t think lack of investment is the problem it’s political will and leadership that’s the issue , moral decline and decadence like all civilisations before us. There’s nothing new under the Sun we have Weak mealy mouthed politicians and leaders of all persuasions that are the real problem like a cancer destroying the west from within.
not so in the people republic of Scotland though it’s absolutely stonking up here a socialist paradise of Blumhouse fantasy island proportions 😂 aye
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I think you wasting your time trying persuade this extremist, Artist!
He just the opposite side of the same coin as the Taliban.
Meirion you know absolutely zero about me. Making sweeping generalisations about me without knowing me personally just makes you look foolish and stupid.
Seems Afghan Commandos have been operating alongside UKSF in Kabul to do snatch patrols to retrieve UK citizens. What happens to these Afghan SF soldiers now? They obviously have come back to the UK with our forces. The Telegraph (not my favourite news source) are reporting there is pressure to create an Afghan Scout Regiment in the British Army. I wouldn’t go that far but there could certainly be a role for these people inside UKSFG surely. After all we will be engaging in counter ISIS special ops regularly now and these people seem committed and have been trained at… Read more »
Agree to a degree however to incorporate any of these lads into UKSF, or even SFSG, then they will require more in depth role specific training, more vetting and a lot more training in all aspects of multi dimensial warfare. However its possible and a feasible thought process for specific taskings.
Couldn’t we have just done that in the first place in situ ?
It makes sense Rob, suitably security checked and with additional training, they could be great assets within UKSFG.
They could.
However I prefer DHU or JSG type roles myself as part of Int Corps.
ISTAR is king.
We have plenty of SF already and SFSG, who it should be noted are not SF, in support.
How about using them in a mid east focused role ? Something like an extra Ranger Regt ? They might also be useful to MI5 or 6 here or abroad.
There is that David. SIS have their own unit which they use from UKSF when they require deniable operations. That is one of the holiest of holies so I would be surprised if foreign nationals were used in that as SC too high. What you describe also sounds like SRR work regards Rangers and Middle East. Yes, the Security Service is always in need of watchers for A4. They never have enough for the number of ops ongoing which is why they then have to prioritise. And then get the blame from the Guardian and all and sundry when it… Read more »
Getting the blame from the Guardian must to most sensible people at least be a badge of honour! Indeed the Guardianista’s of this world with their -‘oh we must save them!’ Liberalist stupidity is just the reason why the West has failed in so many intervenions in the modern era. My own views to be honest are probably mid-19th century (no not a typo LOL). But they are much more aligned to the hard nosed realpolitik that is required for such ops. Oh and as for ex Afghan srmy Special ops being in UK forces I’d be very chary of… Read more »
Seed the best of them in the Intelligence Corps, in DHU, in JSG, in DDU, and others.
Their cultural expertise is too good to lose.
Old school i was sent this yesterday:
Thanks Farouk. An interesting take. Tho I don’t blame Biden – he just ruled a line under it all. The West could have spent another trillion dollars etc and the outcome would have been delayed but just the same.
And totally true.
Daniele we usually agree but I don’t think we have ‘plenty of special forces.’ With a shrinking army we have a shrinking recruiting base for SFs. Moreover it seems that the British public don’t really have the stomach for a conventional campaign any more so we are going to need more covert operations. 21st & 23rd Regts are no longer deployable so our SFs are really 8 Sqns, less than 700 people (that’s 22 SAS & the SBS). 2 or 3 hundred battle hardened, British trained, soldiers with cultural understanding of the places they might be needed seems a good… Read more »
Hi Rob. We do! And no worries there mate. I am against expansion of the T1 SF because that may dilute the quality and standards within. Smaller, at least at the Tier 1 spear tip, is better in my opinion. Enablers from the wider DSF is another matter entirely, that has already been expanded over the last 2 decades and should continue to be. 18 SR / JSFAW / UKSF MSG, and so on. “2 or 3 hundred battle hardened, British trained, soldiers with cultural understanding of the places they might be needed seems a good idea to me as… Read more »
Get you’re points. Seems to me they could easily fit into the SR Regt, 1 Para and the new Ranger Regt. Agreed.
Read my comment on blue on blue above. Wouldn’t touch them with a barge pole. The Pathans ( as they were thrn called) could be good soldiers ( ie in The Guides) on NWFP way back but the UK army is nothing like that now and they aren’t in a society they understand etc etc.
As an aside I suggest reading the histories of the Old Empire – there is a lot of info and knowledge in them. Pity the planners didnt take it onboard before the A-stan debacle was entered into.
Interesting reports of former US spec operators involved in “operation Pinapple Express” to rescues hundreds of former Afghan commandos ,interpreters and their families , high risk individuals and those formerly connected with the US in country. Col Scott Mann a former green beret coordinated the mission with the help of US troops within Kabul airport who apparently defied orders not to conduct ops outside the confines of the airport. report on US ABC news worth a ganders I would put a link however never had a post with a link accepted as I’m on the watch list for purchasing too… Read more »
😄 “JC warned me about the ice cream van with large antenna that’s been seen outside our houses”
And he keeps driving away when l try and buy a 99….
Haha. I remember that lovely Italian Ice Cream from the van that played “Somewhere, beyond the Sea”-sixpence a cone. And in Belfast we had a similar van that sold groceries. I bought my Gran 6 eggs out of the ten shillings that mom sent me in the post from London. We all stood around and admired that wonderful brown cash note-serius bucks in 1956! On subject-job well done Brits. It will be interesting to see how things develop from here. The Talibs will need to form a stable government as a first step. I still think there is potential for… Read more »
Nobody seems to have pointed out a slight problem with that idea, at least that I can find. How do we keep it up to strength? Any that are killed or leave the service is just going to deplete it.
I would suggest giving them the option of all heading back to join up with the lot in Panjshir fighting back, they probably could use a few hundred well trained blokes more than we could.
We don’t. As what at least some of us here are proposing does not constitute a stand alone unit that needs replenishing to keep headcount. Their expertise is used to augment the capabilities of other units. Which has probably been happening for decades already. Your point is more valid for me if they are used as the papers and some MPs are suggesting, as a stand alone Afghan Scouts Regiment. And we already have that type with the Gurkhas in the regular infantry, and higher up with SFSG and the planned new S Ops Bde and the current SIG. Joking,… Read more »
Even worse than ill advised interventions in countries which historical experience should have warned us against, we are poised to commit enormous self harm by an unquestioning acceptance of climate change by all political parties. The only hope is that the impossibility of delivering the absurd targets will become apparent.
In the meantime, China, India, Brazil will continue to power development by building ever more coal fired generation.
Western leaders- Biden, Johnson, Merkel, Macron – are utterly hopeless. We are witnessing the Untergang des Abendlandes.
Peter I would fully concur with you. We can make normal energy efficiencies and new technologies that are cleaner but to go to zero carbon and/or human impact on the Earth is itself meaningless. For zero human impact on the Earth what should we do? Should we stop breeding and breathing in the West. Maybe that is what both the Tories and Labour want these days and let the BRIC economies take over the world.
There was a report that the US forces shot down rockets using automated systems, any ideas on what system they had deployed?
Iron Dome ?
C-RAM?
Its a capability that we really badly need.
We have C-RAM but that involves nicking one off a ship, which in a war situation it might not be viable.
I guess depends on capablity of land ceptor.
I doubt Sky Sabre would be used, if for no other reason than we aren’t getting enough batteries and they’re all going towards covering expeditionary units rather than bases and the like. Plus I’m not sure it has the reaction speed to hit mortars.
MANTIS or bust on the C-RAM front short of borrowing Phalanx off the RN.
There are/where C RAM in Devonport mounted on trailers being worked on and overhauled for use when the UK still had a meaningful presence in Helmand. They where maintained by RN maintainers in country.
Jack gets everywhere.
No need to take mounts from a ship.
From what I can make out, the ones used in Helmand were taken from the inventory used by the RN ships and it seems there isn’t enough guns to go around all the ships, else why would ships ever sail without them fitted. So using one for base defence, means one less available for the navy. I would guess it’s so getting tighter with the t26 using them whilst the t23 didn’t, and I haven’t read anything about additional units being brought
The RN has plenty enough CIWS for its Ships,and as far as i can find out the Land based CRAM were dedicated units,which could mean just the Trailers were bought and mated with RN Fire Units,or that whole Sets were bought.These have now been withdrawn so id presume the Fire Units have gone back into Navy Stock.
Have they got enough to go around? I couldn’t find any info on how many units we have overall. To me it seems highly likely that we don’t have enough, considering a large percentage of the surface fleet is in maintanance at any one time (I assume some could be rushed out if needed) and yet we appear not to have enough units to fit the ones that are sent out. Ok the official story is they are fitted based on the deployment risk, but i suspect this is just an excuse to explain them not being fitted. I guess… Read more »
It was a CRAM and they destroyed it before they left.
https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1432588739654549514?s=20
The comparisons to Berlin airlift are highly offensive. America/Biden created this problem, this emergency, with their poor leadership, lack of transparency, dementia-ridden President, hyper-selfish strategies and focus on internal mayhem, as they continue to execute their left-wing cultural revolution where men are women and women are men, pregnant women are called “people who have babies.” America is in a wasteland currently. The UK needs to be very leary about any more American entanglements until they normalize. If ever. Not hopeful.
The UK/US caused the Berlin mess also. They made the agreement that Russian troops would enter at the same time and they agreed the split of the country including isolating half of berlin. Both decisions were caused by polictics and general view in the respective countries that they had enough of the war and better to make a bad deal than to continue to fight.
History tends to repeat itself.
Oh dear – it’s all our fault again.
Well at the closing point of the second world war was it really worth starting another war between the west and Russia? Ah thought not.
The UK went to war over Poland and left the war with Poland occupied by Russia. A lot of similarities.
I’m not saying continuing the war /starting a war with Russia was a good option, but it was considered by the allies and they decided against it. As such it was a decision, which led to the Berlin problem.
The war wasn’t started over Poland though, that was the red line that triggered the Uk involvement. Poland was far from the issue or the trigger hence it was discarded after.
The agreements with Stalin throughout the war would always lead to a problem whether it was Berlin or elsewhere. It was either leave them be or continue to fight.
Bigger operation than ascension island during the Falklands ?
I doubt in numbers of aircraft but I think they refer to people picked up and moved from said destination.
Im not aware of many people being taken from Ascension to another place during the Falklands.
Lots of little armchair generals on this website. Why don’t you all join the Army.
It’s a defence related website with many regular contributors both ex-military and civilian who add constructive and well reasoned context to the articles. You dont need to be in the army to do that.
Only joking- but you must admit there is an awful lot of waffle – and acronyms flung about left right and centre.
Why do ministers talk such bollocks to justify cuts in aircraft numbers? Ben Wallace says that by binning ALL of our Hercules transport planes, this will leave us with a more “capable” and “flexible” fleet. Utter garbage!