Parliament in the United Kingdom convened an emergency session to debate the rapidly evolving situation in Afghanistan, as lawmakers expressed deep concern over the swift collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban’s takeover.
Recalled from their summer recess, members of Parliament engaged in a heated seven-hour discussion, with many criticizing Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s handling of the crisis. Former Prime Minister Theresa May questioned the government’s planning and intelligence.
“Was our intelligence really so poor? Was our understanding of the Afghan government so weak? Was our knowledge of the position on the ground so inadequate, or did we just feel that we had to follow the United States and hope that, on a wing and a prayer, it would be alright on the night?” May asked.
Despite the criticism, Johnson defended the UK’s role in the 20-year conflict, asserting that the mission achieved its goals. “The United Kingdom, among others, joined America in going into Afghanistan on a mission to extirpate al-Qaeda in that country and to do whatever we could to stabilize Afghanistan, in spite of all the difficulties and challenges we knew we would face. And we succeeded in that core mission,” he said.
As the situation unfolds, the UK government is working to evacuate its citizens and Afghan staff who assisted British forces and diplomatic missions. Many lawmakers urged the government to provide more support for Afghan refugees, emphasizing a moral responsibility to those who aided the UK.
On Tuesday, Westminster announced plans to accept 20,000 Afghan refugees over the coming years, with 5,000 to be resettled in the first year.
Afghan Diaspora Voices Concerns
While politicians debate policies, thousands of Afghans living in the UK watch anxiously as events unfold in their homeland. Many fear for the safety of their families and loved ones.
Zemar Sakha, who fled Afghanistan during the Soviet invasion in the 1980s, expressed his sadness over the continuing turmoil. “I was an army officer; I left Afghanistan 36 years ago. We never, ever guessed one day it would be like this. We could imagine any kind of situation but not a worse situation like now. This is something unimaginable for our people,” he said.
Another Afghan resident in London, Hussein Amiri, shared that his relatives in Kabul are staying indoors due to the unsettling atmosphere. “They said the streets of the city felt much quieter,” he noted.
For many in the Afghan diaspora, conflict has been a constant backdrop to their lives. The United Nations and the international community—including the UK—have expressed concerns over a potential humanitarian crisis stemming from the latest developments.
Sakha, once a refugee himself, hopes that Western nations will not abandon the Afghan people. “They have to support us in any way they can because they are part of the problem; all the West is involved in this problem—all of the West,” he urged.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
