Briton to evacuate 200 dogs and cats from his animal shelter in Kabul
Image for representation purposes
The British owner of ananimalshelterin Afghanistan will be allowed toevacuatearound200catsanddogson a charter planefromKabul, the UK's defence minister said Wednesday in an apparent climbdown.
The high-profile campaign by former Marine Paul "Pen" Farthing toevacuatehisanimalshas prompted controversy as thousands of people seek to flee the Taliban ahead of United States troops' withdrawal by August 31.
After serving in Afghanistan with the British Army, Farthing founded ananimalcharity called Nowzad inKabulrescuingcats,dogsand donkeys.
He remains inKabuland has crowdfunded a plane to fly out his staff and their families as well as some200catsanddogsin what he calls Operation Ark.
British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace had earlier said it would be wrong to "prioritise pets over people" as thousands wait outside the airport, many fearing reprisalsfromthe Taliban which seized control of the country on August 15.
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But early Wednesday Wallace tweeted that he had authorised officials to process Farthing's Afghan staff atKabulairport.
Once that happens, "if he (Farthing) arrives with hisanimalswe will seek a slot for his plane," Wallace said.
He emphasised that the "limiting factor" had been maintaining the flow of the evacuations, "not airplane capacity".
Wallace added that Farthing and his Afghan staff, who have been granted UK visas, could also leave without theanimalson a Royal Air Force flight.
The defence minister had told Sky News on Tuesday that Farthing's chartered plane would "block the airfield" and "sit there empty" as officials processed other passengers waiting in a huge line.
"As for theanimalsthat he (Farthing) has rescued and saved, it is just not going to be the case that I will prioritise them over the men, women and children we see in desperate need at the gate."
Farthing has waged a campaign backed by celebrities including comedian Ricky Gervais, complaining at the UK defence ministry's stance.
British tabloids traditionally support campaigns to helpanimalsabroad and The Sun wrote Wednesday that Wallace offered a "glimmer of hope" to the "mercy flight".
Farthing has said he could transportanimalsin the hold of the 250-seat plane and take Afghans in spare seats.
The UK has evacuated more than 10,000 peoplefromAfghanistan since August 13 and more military flights were planned for Wednesday, according to the defence ministry.
Foreign Minister Dominic Raab praised the operation on Sky News on Wednesday, saying: "It's never been done before and no country has done better."
