LPhot Ben Shread/UK MOD Crown copyright 2021/Handout via REUTERS
- The UK Foreign Secretary said the number of British nationals still in Afghanistan is in the "low hundreds."
- He advised those remaining in the country to leave through neighboring countries if they want to get out of Afghanistan.
- Last week, the UK Defense Secretary said around 100 to 150 British nationals would be left behind.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab Sky News on Tuesday that the number of British nationals remaining in Afghanistan after the UK concluded its evacuation program is in the "low hundreds."
Western forces completed their evacuation of Afghanistan on Tuesday as the last military planes departed the airport in Kabul.
Raab told Sky News it was "unclear" when Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport would resume operations but advised those seeking to leave the country to find a route home through neighboring countries.
Most of those left in Afghanistan were "difficult cases where it's not clear around eligibility because they're undocumented," he said.
Last week, UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace told LBC that around 100 to 150 British nationals would likely stay in Afghanistan after the evacuation process was over, some of them willingly. He also said that around 1,100 Afghans who helped the UK would be left behind.
Raab told Sky News that the UK is in touch with British nationals still in Afghanistan and will help them make arrangements to leave Afghanistan through neighboring countries. However, he admitted that it would be a "challenge" for them to reach a border while the Taliban control the nation.
"I've spoken to some of the key third countries, so have other ministers, to make sure we can have a workable route through for those outstanding cases," he said.
He added that the UK would hold the Taliban to its "explicit assurances" to allow British nationals and Afghans to safely leave the country.