Britain is sending hundreds of military personnel to Afghanistan to help evacuate British nationals as the security situation deteriorates.
Defence secretary Ben Wallace authorised on Thursday the deployment of 600 troops to Kabul on a “short-term basis.”
The move has been triggered by rising violence as Taliban fighters capture cities across Afghanistan after US and allied troops withdrew.
“I have authorised the deployment of additional military personnel to support the diplomatic presence in Kabul, assist British nationals to leave the country and support the relocation of former Afghan staff who risked their lives serving alongside us,” Mr Wallace said in a statement.
“It is a long planned process and it was important with the current situation on the ground in Afghanistan to make the decision to move to that phase,” he told a separate briefing.
The first troops are expected to arrive by the end of the week and will include medics and specialist planners to help manage the withdrawal.
British ambassador Laurie Bristow will be among those staying in Kabul.
Last week Britain advised all its nationals in Afghanistan to leave. The several thousand being helped out of the country include Afghan interpreters and other local personnel eligible for relocation to Britain as well as others who hold British passports. They will take commercial flights.
British forces were first deployed to Afghanistan in 2001 following the September 11 attacks on the US and played a major role in combat operations until 2014.
A total of 457 British soldiers were killed in the country.
The speed and violence of the Taliban advance has caused recriminations among many Afghans over US President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw troops and leave the Afghan government to fight alone.
Britain also withdrew its troops as part of a coordinated move between NATO and the United States.
